


Head Girl

by bisexualyoda



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - British, Artist Asami, Bopal - Freeform, Clubbing, Drama, Everyone has daddy issues, Extremely Minor Violence, F/F, Homophobia, Implied Sexual Content, Jealousy, Parties, Political Campaigns, Political Drama, Political tension, Rugby Player Korra, Scandal, Secret Relationship, Sixth Form, Social Media, Swearing, and less old white men, basically they're in love but also in BATTLE, but really it should be obvious, debates, kuvira is a bitch in this, opal is feral, think the donald trump and biden debate but even MORE gay, translations for the non british people are at the bottom of each chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:48:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 25,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27866397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisexualyoda/pseuds/bisexualyoda
Summary: Asami wants to be Head Girl. Scrap that, she needs(!) to be Head Girl.The only problem is Korra (who Asami maybe, sort of, possibly has a huge crush on) also wants it. And both of them will do anything to win... Which might include each other.
Relationships: Background Lin Beifong/Kya II, Background Mako/Prince Wu, Korra/Asami Sato, background Opal/Bolin
Comments: 64
Kudos: 139





	1. WEEK 00

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO YODA IS HERE HELLO ITS ME YODA HELLO
> 
> am i starting a new project despite the fact i have many ongoing? YES THE HECK I AM!!! idc guys i have it under control like u dont even understand my mind is SO POWERFUL i promised u an eventful december for writing and bitch i will deliver!!!!
> 
> this fic is also set in my homeland, the great country of england. sike england actually sucks and has its very serious problems and flaws (lets not get into it!), but at least it's not america. sorry americans. but i think u know its true. and i never see any british fics literally ever, not like my experience in the uk schooling system, so here! i present to you a fic that is practically semi-autobiographical (not really lol)
> 
> if there's any slang u don't understand i've probs translated it (lmao) but if i haven't, comment and i will explain!
> 
> that being said, make sure u check out the tags for anything that might trigger you! if anything else comes up as i write more, i will obviously add it to the tags. the aim is to finish this before next year (and i fucking will!!! watch me bitches!!!!)
> 
> [okay i've talked enough! now here's my tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/bisexualyoda1)

**September 6 th, Monday**

“Oh Asami, look!”

“Shut _up_ Opal.” Asami muttered, keeping her eyes trained on anything except the bustle of bulky guys that were roaming through the main hall. The bustle of guys, that is to say, led by two bulky girls.

“And Kuvira is with her. You are _missing_ out. They’re in their sports bras.” Opal gushed.

“I’m _right here, Babe._ ” Bolin said, pretending to be offended with wide green eyes. His girlfriend turned back from peering over Mako’s shoulder at the Zaofu college rugby team, and gave her boyfriend a loud, wet kiss.

“Sorry, boo.” She smiled, showcasing her teeth. “But you know how I feel about my sister.”

“ _Why_ is it _always_ weird with you, Opal?” Mako groaned, pressing his arms against the table and moaning into them. “Can’t you just say one normal, not weird thing?”

She tapped the top of his head with her finger. “Shut it, Sharkie.” She laughed again, turning back to Asami. “We’re teasing Asami about her big fat crush, not mine.”

“There’s nothing to tease me about.” She said with a gentle – and forced – smile.

“Isn’t there?” The voice was low and warm, and it made the hairs on the back of Asami’s neck stand on end. Opal was grinning widely at whatever – whoever – stood behind Asami. But it wasn’t like she didn’t know. She gulped, hopefully inaudibly, and turned around to look at the hunk of a woman in front of her.

_Korra South._

Asami wasn’t sure why she was so attracted to her. Perhaps it was because in her high school, there was no such thing as girls with muscles. Girls didn’t _play_ rugby. Maybe that was the beginning of her attraction to Korra, but when she’d first bumped into the girl – literally, but that’s a story for another time – and had been subjected to her charming, if not frightfully energetic personality, Asami had been nailed, hook line and sinker. She Was just so damn likeable!

So, maybe she did have a little crush on the girl. Maybe. Not that she’d ever admit it.

“Hey Korra.” She grinned, keeping her eyes trained on Korra’s. It would have been easier, considering how beautiful they were, if it hadn’t been for her bare abdomen and rippling muscles.

Seriously, Asami was sure she’d never seen a girl with abs quite like Korra’s. How does that even happen?

“’Sup.” She grinned, sliding into the bench next to her. There was a pleasant bustle of people around them – some people were going home, after finishing their classes for the day, others were frantically cramming for whatever lesson they had next, but most, Asami and her friends included, were just hanging out and chatting, enjoying their lunch break before fourth period.

“How was the game?” Mako asked.

That was why Korra was wearing practically nothing at all, then. At the end of the matches, she always peeled off her shirt with Kuvira, like the primates they were, to do victory laps. Or loss laps. Or tie laps. Asami was sure they both just liked laps, and taking off their shirts.

“We won. Duh.” Korra smiled cheesily. Her lips were pretty; brown, and full, and soft-looking. Asami tore her attention away from, to the other female rugby player who was swiftly approaching the table. She walked with purpose – if Asami couldn’t see her face, and only saw how the girl walked, she’d still know exactly who it was.

Kuvira Beifong was a lot of things. Gorgeous, for certain, and a total stick-in-the-mud. Except when she was with Korra. When they were together, the two of them acted like they were in an American frat house. Or what Asami assumed a frat house would be like – she’d never actually crossed the Atlantic herself.

“Korra, hurry up before you fail your A-levels.”

Korra, who had been grinning at Asami and her friends, let out a groan before rotating her head to look at Kuvira. “I don’t know if you noticed, mate, but we don’t have A-level exams for like… Nine months. I can chill a little bit.”

Kuvira nodded curtly at Opal, who didn’t say anything at all, before grabbing Korra by the arm and dragging her away.

“I don’t care! If you fail the next test, you won’t be allowed to play. You know what Coach Lin said.”

Asami thought it was a little rude that Kuvira hadn’t addressed anyone but Opal, but that was just the green-eyed girl’s way.

Before Kuvira could forcibly remove her, however, Korra grabbed Asami by the shoulder and whispered into her ear, “God save me from this woman.”

Asami had laughed, and not just to hide her blush.

“And you say you don’t have a crush on her.” Opal panned, once the rugby players had left.

“I _don’t_.”

“Right.”

“I don’t!”

“Then why are you so red!”

“It’s warm in here.” She mumbled. Mako was looking at her with a quiet sense of hurt, which was annoying more than anything else, but still unwanted. Her and Mako did _not_ have a thing. He just wished there was a thing, and she was very keen on there never, ever, being a thing.

He sighed, resting his chin on his hand and turning his attention to the commotion of the room. The noise was subsiding, as the year twelves who still cared about turning up on time for classes headed to lesson. Asami didn’t watch him for any longer than would be appropriate.

“She’s gonna be captain, you know.” Bolin announced.

“Who? Korra?” Opal gasped. “ _How?_ ”

Mako’s attention was brought back to the table. “How is that even possible? I thought the two of them had to fight to be put on the guy’s team in the first place.”

“I was talking to Lin.” He raised his hands dramatically. “ _Not_ by choice! I just hadn’t done her homework. Like any of it. All summer.”

 _“Bolin!”_ They all collectively groaned. He was far too slack with his assignments, and if he wasn’t careful, he wasn’t going to get the A-levels he wanted.

“Whateveeeer.” He crooned. “Listen, listen! She said that they usually pick the captain based on ability and popularity, right? Well, when it comes to ability, the best is either Kuvira or Korra or Tahno. And when you add the popularity part in… It was a no brainer. That’s what Lin said.”

“This place is nothing like high school.” Asami mused. “That never would have flown back at Republic.”

“Not in a grammar school.” Mako said flatly. “There were quite a few girls on the footie team at Republic High. There wasn’t even a dudes’ rugby team, though. We didn’t have the field for one. So, I think I’d still rather have gone to your school.”

“Our high school was crap.” Bolin laughed. “But we’re here now! At the best college in the whole area. Maybe it’s time to lighten up, my shark-like brother.”

“Where did the shark thing even come from?” Mako groaned again.

Asami laughed alongside her friends, feeling pleasant and at peace.

Mako made a point – her stiff grammar school was traditional, but it was still much nicer than any other school in Republic City. Most people that went to her high school – Republic City Grammar – had gone to Republic City Grammar’s _Sixth Form,_ the attached sixth form college _._ In fact, she was the only one that hadn’t.

And for good reason, too.

She wouldn’t trade going back to that hell-hole for all the money in the world.

“Speaking of high school,” Opal suddenly chirped. She had gone to Zaofu High school, along with Kuvira. It was pretty near to the college, and it also had fairly good facilities for a state school. “Aren’t you leaving us on Wednesday, Asami?” She pouted.

“For an _afternoon_ , Opal. I have to get my GCSE art back at some point.”

“But we have history that afternoon!” She complained. “I don’t see why you can’t go after.”

“They gave me a slot.” She shrugged. “And they made it difficult on purpose.”

“Arseholes.” Bolin surmised, and everyone nodded in agreement.

They fell into happy chatter again, and Asami let the thoughts of her high school drift into the back of her mind. That was _Wednesday Asami’s_ problem, not hers. They talked about their classes, their upcoming texts, how good Kuvira looked today – or rather, Opal talked about that – and eventually began discussing the Zaofu college politics.

“So, if Korra is going to be Rugby team captain.” Bolin said suddenly, his eyebrows furrowing. “Would that make her head boy?”

“I didn’t even think about that.” Mako shook his head with thought.

“Why would that make her head boy?” Asami asked, half-laughing at the notion. She couldn’t remember the head boy from last year, not even at all. She knew the old Head Girl, Zhu Li, quite well though.

“It just would.” Mako shrugged. “It’s like a Zaofu college tradition.”

“I’ve never heard of it.” Asami persisted. She’d been at the sixth form college for as long as the other three, and yet it always seemed that she was out of the loop.

Opal sighed. “Because you’re a goody two shoes. It’s not exactly something you find in the rulebook.”

“I haven’t _read_ the rulebook.” Asami lied. Opal gave her a look as if to say, _don’t lie to me._ Damn, this girl knew her far too well.

“She,” Mako turned their attention back to the topic at hand. “Will probably run for head girl, then.”

Bolin and Opal nodded, deciding that would make perfect sense. Asami wasn’t convinced.

“Why? Just because she can throw a ball backwards? That hardly makes her politically qualified. Surely a politics student would be more suited.”

“It’s tradition.” Mako sighed. “I doubt you’d understand.”

Asami arched a brow. “And what is _that_ supposed to mean?”

“A lover’s quarrel!” Bolin squeaked from somewhere in the background. There was another sound – a thump – from when Opal punched him in the shoulder.

“I think he’s trying to say,” Opal interjected. “That your dad runs a tech company, right? So—”

“So you’ve never had to regard tradition to get what you want.” Mako finished sharply, standing up. He gave them all a tired look, before storming off. Asami watched him go with a frown. That guy could be such an _arsehole._

Bolin followed his brother with his eyes, wearing his signature puppy-dog frown. Opal kissed the top of his head affectionately.

Asami, deciding to put their odd friend out of her mind, checked the time on her phone. “We should probably get to class? What do you guys have?”

“Tutor.” Opal said.

“And I have Drama.” Bolin added.

Asami had to bite back a scoff. She’d known Bolin for almost a year, and she was still baffled that anyone would pick drama at A-level. Still, not everyone had a traumatic high school experience with GCSE drama, and she had to remember that.

“You have art, right?”

“Have you memorised my timetable?” Asami asked dubiously.

“Maybe. By the way, meet me after fourth. Neither of us have a fifth lesson.”

“Opal, what the fuck? You _have_ memorised my timetable!”

“Bye!” She chimed happily, dragging her boyfriend by his wrist down the corridor to the science block. She wasn’t sure why they were going down that way – then again, maybe her form room was down there; Asami had no clue.

She walked mindlessly to art class, enjoying the hustle of college moving around her. In high school, she could never have walked somewhere on her own – she’d stuck to her older friend Zhu Li like a fly caught in her web, which had made year eleven pretty hard once she’d left – but now, in college, she had all the time in the world to enjoy the solace.

The art classroom was big and open, filled with huge and beautiful paintings. There were clay statues too, and mosaics, and even embroidery hanging off mannequins and the thick smell of artist ink in the air. That smell was Kya – she painted the most beautiful animals out of the liquid. Asami had even convinced her father to buy one of her pieces.

_“How do you even know of this art teacher, if you don’t take the class?” He asked suspiciously._

_“She’s my friend’s teacher, not mine.” The lies came to her easily at that point. “And I think they’re really pretty. Look before you say no, Daddy.”_

_The older man sighed before giving in. “Alright pumpkin, let me have a look.”_

Asami traced the memory lazily in her mind, pulling out the pencils she was going to need for that afternoon. Usually she’d stay for the full two hours, but since Opal wanted to hangout after college, she decided it would be best to just get on with what she wanted to do.

She’d already finished a rough outline by the time Kya came in.

The woman was wearing her usually baggy t-shirt and dungarees, a little slack for a teacher at a prestigious college one might think, but Zaofu encouraged expression when every other educational facility Asami had attended had banned it. The freedom was another reason she loved it so much.

“Asami! I didn’t see you come in!” Kya smiled warmly. She was carrying a hefty looking canvas, and Asami immediately jumped up to help. “No need, no need.” She said, but accepted the help anyway.

Art class wasn’t ran like most classes. There was a briefing the first week of term – they’d had that at the back end of last week – and some deadlines for projects, but other than that, they were free to pursue their studies however they wished. Kya offered guidance more often than not, and some students practically lived on her lap whilst they worked, whereas others did a lot of their work at home or at the weekends, using their art periods to study for other things instead.

Asami was somewhere in the middle. She liked Kya, and her artwork was inspirational to say in the least, but her art was just that. _Her_ art. And it had to tell _her_ story, so she worked pretty much independently.

“What are you thinking for this half-term?” Kya asked, once Asami had settled back into her seat.

“The human form.” Asami told her at once. “It’s always good for marks, and if my Dad finds any of my work, I can say it’s from GCSE.”

“And that’s what you want to do?” Kya knew all about Asami’s fatherly situation, and although she’d offered countless times to ring him and inform him about his daughter’s choices, and how he should act from there, Asami always begged her not to. Kya never did, of course; she wouldn’t without Asami’s permission, but it always made her a little wary about what Asami was working on in class.

“Positive.” Asami grinned, holding up the outline she’d sketched. “The start of a study?”

Kya took it in her hands for a moment, inspecting the fine sketches. It was only a brief shape, but the women’s lips turned upwards. “The _female_ form. Why didn’t you say so?”

Asami laughed. Kya was openly a lesbian, so she’d hoped her teacher would appreciate her work.

Kya took a seat next to Asami, and watched her work for a few minutes. In high school, Asami had always found that insufferable – the teacher breathing down her neck, ready to criticise any wrong stroke she made. But Kya was always kind, and directing, in a way the teacher in her high school had never been. It was as if she knew what Asami wanted to paint, and enabled her to do it, rather than just making her do what the exam board wanted.

“You’re going to your high school this week, aren’t you?” Kya asked.

Asami looked up, surprised the older woman remembered. “On Wednesday. Just for twenty minutes, hopefully. I need to pick up some artwork from year eleven.”

“They kept it for a year?”

“It was on the walls, you see. Display work.”

“Ah, yes. I see. And you’re ready to go fetch it? You aren’t nervous?”

Asami paused for a moment. The thought of seeing some of her old friends was a little nerve-wracking. High school hadn’t ended well for her. Nevertheless, that was over a year ago now. And she would be fine.

“Not at all.” She half-lied. “It’s just twenty minutes.”

“You look as white as a sheet, dear. Don’t lie to me.” Kya scolded lightly. “I remember when you first got here in year twelve. Unhappy as anything. That was because of high school, right?”

“Mm. But I’m much happier now. Zaofu college changed my life.” Asami conceded in agreement.

It really, really had.

Kya grinned at her. “You know, Asami, you’d make an excellent head girl.”

Asami faltered, her pencil pressing too hard into the paper. The led broke, and what was left slid across the paper, leaving a dark line of graphite.

“Shit.” She muttered, taking up at rubber and beginning to meticulously work out the etching from the paper. Looking back up at Kya, she smiled sheepishly. “I wouldn’t. Not at all.”

Kya waved her off, as if she’d said something completely ridiculous. “Of course you would. You have all the qualities we look for.” _We_ being the higher-up staff at the school. “You’re smart, your grades are immaculate, and it’s not just from a place of talent but also hard work. And it’s more than that too. Zaofu made you better, and that just means that you’re the kind of person that wants to give something back in return. Doesn’t making Zaofu better sound good? Returning the favour?”

“Some of the traditions are a little outdated.” Asami said with a laugh.

“So you’ve already got ideas!” Kya cried, pointing an excited finger at Asami. “Good. You’ll need those.”

“No, I don’t have ideas.” Asami rolled her eyes. “And I’m not being head girl.”

“It would look amazing on your personal statement.”

“My personal statement is already amazing.” It was true – her father hadn’t let her rest for three years, and she had plenty of internships and experiences under her belt, as well as thick university-standard books read and analysed, not to mention her personal statement was brimming with shine and prestige with the name _Sato_ emblazoned at the top.

“But a head girl title could really tip you over the edge! You want to go to Cambridge right? It will look amazing on your application.”

Asami grimaced. She wasn’t looking forward to university. Three years in law school, and a postgraduate business course, and then a lifetime sold to Future Industries. Scrap university, she wasn’t looking forward to the rest of her life.

Zaofu was her temporary break from that. Her freedom. And the way Kya had said that she could give something back to it… It _did_ sound appealing to Asami.

“But I can’t.” She realised. “Korra… I mean, the rugby captain. She’s going to want the position.”

Kya raised her eyebrows. “Korra _South_? That girl can’t be head girl! That would be a total sham.”

“Why not?” Asami asked, sounding more defensive than she would have liked to.

“Well to start with, she’s got the mouth of a sailor, and she doesn’t know a damn thing about politics.”

“And I do?”

“You take history, don’t you?”

“Modern history and politics aren’t the same thing.”

Kya shrugged. “They are to an art teacher. I can send in your application any time before Sunday to the school board, so email me if you change your mind.” The art teacher got up, walking over to another art student in the corner, who was trying to get a stain out of his apron. Asami didn’t know his name, but he always made the most beautiful pots.

Asami worried her lip, turning back to her drawing. It was a muscular woman, facing away from the viewer, tiny sketch marks already outlining the curvature of her backside, as well as the short bob-cut of hair cresting her head. She reddened when she realised who she was drawing, but nevertheless, she didn’t stop.

It was for her A-level, after all.

“Oh, hey Zhu Li.” Asami was surprised to see her friend in the foyer of her grand home. She wasn’t expected back from uni till that weekend. Her course didn’t actually start till October, but she’d been setting up her room and checking out all the local book shops, last time Asami heard. She’d got into Oxford Law School, all the way in the South of the country, and it wasn’t an easy trip to make back up home. “Why are you here?”

“Not happy to see me?” Zhu Li asked with a smile.

“On the contrary.” Asami pulled her friend into a tight hug. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve been gone a week.” Zhu Li teased, pinching Asami’s cheek. Although Asami was much taller than Zhu Li, she’d never held any of the dominance in the friendship. She was more like a big sister, than a best friend.

The reason why Zhu Li was here popped his head through the door.

“Zhu Li, do the thing!” He cried. Begrudgingly, Zhu Li took out her purse and handed Varrick a ten pound note.

“Don’t spend it all at once.” She teased, and the slightly older man smiled shyly before waving to Asami, and ducking back through into the Satos’ kitchen.

Varrick was Zhu Li’s boyfriend of four years. They’d met when she was fifteen, and he had just turned seventeen, and they quickly grew attached to one another. Asami had thought it was weird at the time – he was older, and eccentric, and not at all like the boys Zhu Li usually went after. They seemed to understand each other in a way nobody else did, though, and Asami held her own romances to their standard.

Her own lack thereof, that is to say.

“My dad invited him over again?” Asami asked, peering into the kitchen.

The two men were sat around a makeshift poker table – which was usually the breakfast bar – and from what Asami could tell, and from what little she knew of poker, it looked like Varrick was losing. Dramatically.

“How come your dad likes your boyfriend more than me?” Asami pouted, and Zhu Li laughed.

“He’s cute like that.”

“He is _not_.”

The real reason they got along so well was actually much sadder than either Asami or Zhu Li were willing to discuss. _His_ father had been _her_ father’s long-term business partner and best friend, and Varrick and Asami had seen a lot of each other growing up. That was how him and Zhu Li had met, actually. Varrick’s father had died when Asami had been fifteen, and since then, Varrick practically lived at her house.

Well, not really. He was hardly there once a week anymore, but he had used to.

“So, how was your day?” Zhu Li asked, making her way up to Asami’s huge bedroom. She’d never had a taste for the finer things in life, but she appreciated the tall ceilings. Being close to six foot can make you appreciate that sort of thing.

“Good.” Asami smiled. “Well, as good as Zaofu gets.”

“Awesome, then. I miss that place. Batshit crazy, but it was always a laugh.” Zhu Li said with a smile. Asami noticed then, what Kya had meant earlier. Zhu Li had been head girl the previous year, and her love for Zaofu almost matched Asami’s. Of course, they’d both gone to Republic City Grammar School, and they’d both known the struggles of a conservative set of guidelines, but Zhu Li had never had it as bad as Asami had.

Try being _bisexual_ , and preferring art class to maths. It had been a lot apparently, for the old men that ran the place.

“Yeah.” She laughed. “Pretty awesome. I got bubble tea with Opal after college, too. Bet you miss that.”

“Make sure you’re studying.” Zhu Li said sternly (although, she was certainly joking), before entering Asami’s room and running straight to the bed. It was a comfortable four-poster, and she sank right into the mattress. “I have missed _this_!” She grinned.

“To quote you, you’ve been gone a week.”

“Nothing beats Sato’s bed.” Zhu Li rolled over, smiling at the ceiling. “Except maybe Varrick’s.”

“ _Oh, that’s nasty!_ ” Asami cried, hitting her friend with her pillow. The two squabbled, before it became a full on wrestling match, and soon enough Asami felt herself pressed under Zhu Li’s small body.

“So.” Zhu Li grinned. “You’ve sent in your head girl application, right?”

Asami sighed. “I don’t want to be head girl.”

“Oh, but you do.”

“I _don’t_.”

“Of course you do! And you’d win too. You’re pretty, people like you, you’re not stuck up like the usual geniuses that are eligible. Plus, you’re my best friend, so you’re bound to win the vote.”

Picking the Head Girl was similar to an election of sorts. It was held to a vote, sometime in October. The boys voted for the head boy, and the girls voted for the head girl. Several events were held during the weeks before the election – speeches, fundraisers, etc – to make people want to vote for them. Asami hadn’t bothered attending them last year, because obviously she was going to vote for Zhu Li.

“I really don’t.” She insisted.

“Why?”

“No reason. It’s just not for me.”

“The Royal College of Art will like it, you know.” Zhu Li said with a smile.

Asami groaned, her head dropping back onto the pillow. “I told you that in _strict confidence!_ ”

“It’s just us two here, is it not?”

“I’m going to Cambridge.”

“You don’t want to, though.”

“ _I’m going to Cambridge._ Or I’m going to die trying.”

“I could help you bomb the Cambridge interview if you like. Just drop in that you’re a Nazi. They definitely won’t let you in after that. Not even because the Nazi’s were anti-Semitic, but because they opposed the great patriarchy of our beautiful, corrupt country, and Cambridge wanks over the flag in its spare time. You know, because it’s run by Tories.”

“We _get it._ ” Asami groaned. “You took modern history. You know, I _do_ that exact same course?”

“Whatever, smartypants.” Zhu Li sat up. “Just think about it, okay?”

_Just think about it._

It was the second time someone had said that to her that day, and it was beginning to ring around her head like an echo.

**Wednesday**

****

****

**_opal and others lmao_ **

**Opal:** whos here for lunch????

 **Bolin:** me baby <3

 **Opal:** is nobody gonna reply

 **Bolin:** me!!!!!!

 **Bolin:** babe me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 **Opal:** funny its like I can almost hear someone

 **Opal:** faintly

 **Opal:** must be the wind

 **Bolin:** baby :(((

 **Opal:** No sad face!!!!

 **Opal:** I’m sorry

 **Bolin:** its okay snookums

 **Asami:** must u 2 do this everyday

 **Opal:** shut up whore

 **Asami:** :0

 **Opal:** oh my bad I thought that was mako

 **Opal:** it was such a mako thing to say

 **Asami:** sorry im in a shit mood

 **Asami:** high school will do that 2 u

 **Opal:** oh shit yea

 **Opal:** hope ur having fun :)))))))

 **Asami:** perish

 **Bolin:** so is it just me and u sweetcheeks??????

 **Opal:** where’s mako

 **Opal:** class ended ten mins ago

 **Bolin:** he had PE I think > \- <

 **Mako:** I’m here.

 **Mako:** I’m sorry I took so long. Coach was being a nuisance.

 **Asami:** mako I beg u stop with the punctuation

 **Mako:** Why? It is grammatically correct.

 **Opal:** asami ily for trying but our man is a lost cause

 **Mako:** I am still here, you know?

 **Bolin:** why did coach take so long????

 **Bolin:** we r outside by the benches btwwwww

 **Mako:** The green ones?

 **Asami:** are they not all green

 **Opal:** which other ones are there dumbass?

 **Opal:** oh jinx asami

 **Mako:** Coach was mad at Korra, because she doesn’t want to run for head girl.

 **Asami:** oh?

 **Opal:** calm down sami he only said her name

 **Asami:** why doesn’t she want to?

 **Asami:** guys???

 **Asami:** hello????

 **Asami:** …

 **Bolin:** sorry we found mako

 **Opal:** basically she doesn’t think she’d be a very good head girl, or she doesn’t want it, or whatever.

 **Opal:** but coach lin says she has to

 **Mako:** Because it is a tradition.

 **Asami:** right

 **Asami:** so she’s going to run? Bcos coach made her??

 **Mako:** I think so.

 **Asami:** but that isn’t fair on her!!!

 **Mako:** I don’t know. Lin said something else to Korra, and suddenly she changed her mind.

 **Opal:** mysterious

 **Opal:** also kinda sexy

 **Opal:** was kuvira there? It will help with the fantasy

 **Mako:** I don’t think so?

 **Asami:** so it looks like korras head girl then

 **Opal:** looks like it

 **Opal:** kinda annoying since I feel like there’s better candidates

 **Opal:** not me lol but it’s not like korra wants a career in politics

 **Opal:** but oh well

 **Asami:** yh oh well

Asami read through the messages from a couple hours back once more, analysing the parts about Korra. Her eyebrows furrowed. What could Lin have told Korra, that made her change her mind? Truth be told, Asami didn’t know much about Korra. There was every possibility that the girl wanted to go to Oxford or Cambridge, and this was something good to put on her personal statement.

Still, Korra didn’t strike her as the Oxbridge type…

She turned her attention back to the scene in front of her. The last time she’d been to her high school was her GCSE results day, over a year ago. She remembered the day vaguely. Her father had made her go in before everyone else – it was an act of kindness, really, since she didn’t have to see any of her classmates, but he hadn’t meant it as one. Her results had been high. Nothing below an A. She’d shook the headteacher’s hand, he’d smiled at her politely, and then she’d caught the bus to her father’s office.

It had been stark and courteous. Exactly as her father would have wanted. Exactly what her father was. This visit, so far, had proved to be far more _Asami_.

Although her art teacher hadn’t been overly fond of her – or maybe he had been, it just paled in comparison to Kya’s affection – he did however, like her art. Her whole final project, as well as the one before it and the one from year ten, was displayed down the corridor that led from computing to the upstairs art classrooms. Prior to this, there had never been any art down this particular corridor; none that Asami could remember, anyway.

Her eyes traced the paintings solemnly. Women, dark skinned, muscular, and completely naked, covered the walls. Asami blushed, remembering where she’d got the inspiration from. That was before she’d ever known Korra. She’d been convinced that she’d never meet her, and so that had made it okay to make her the muse…

She reddened further, shocked that her teacher had let her get away with such art.

Carefully, she peeled the works back and placed it in the large art folder she carried. She would have to hide it in the treehouse before she got home. If her father found out she’d missed classes to do this…

Then again, she was missing _art,_ which he might even be pleased about.

“Except he’ll think you’re missing maths.” She mumbled, rolling her eyes at her own stupidity. She had to just get this over with.

“Talking to yourself, Princess?”

Asami jumped at the cruel, cold, and familiar voice. She hadn’t heard it in almost a year and a half.

“Ginger.”

She forced her most convincing smile, but the popular girl didn’t buy it. Her hair was still red, her lips were still painted (poorly), and they still sneered the same. The way she held herself, too, was the same. A hand on her hip, and lean in her stature. The only thing that had changed were the clothes on her back, switched from the shirt and skirt she’d wear to the top of her thighs, to a pair of light grey leggings, and a blue hoodie.

“I hope Zaofu treats you right.” Ginger said. “It’s been a long time. We need to catch up.”

“Uh, well…” Even if Mako had once described her as reckless, she was never, under any circumstances, going to _catch up_ with Ginger. It wasn’t like the girl had ever laid a hand on her – well, not really. There’d been punches and kicks, but nothing that bruised. It wasn’t physical cruelty she feared, but rather the harsh and manipulative words of her old school bully. It had taken her a long time to build herself back up, to believe that she wasn’t the terrible person Ginger had said she was.

She wasn’t going to let herself spiral into that pit of depression.

“Don’t you want to?” Ginger said with a pout. “I can bring my boyfriend, and you can bring your dyke, and we can have a lovely time together.”

Asami’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected Ginger to say that word. The girl had never been homophobic before – or, well, maybe she had. The way she’d treated Asami was hard to describe. It went from obsession to hatred in the blink of an eye.

Maybe she was just hiding something from herself, and taking it out on the prettiest queer girl she could find.

“My _what?_ ” She repeated more sternly. Even if Ginger was a repressed homosexual lashing out (because really, Asami had always had her suspicions), she wasn’t going to let someone walk all over her again. She wasn’t fifteen anymore.

“Your _dy—”_ Ginger’s mouth snapped closed.

Asami blinked, wondering for a second if she’d truly looked menacing enough for it to shut up Ginger. A cough from behind her confirmed that that wasn’t the case.

“Hey, Asami. I saw you on the way past. Is this one of your old friends?”

_Korra?_

Asami whirled around. The root of the voice was stood, taller than Asami because of the downward tilt of the corridor, wearing a concerned but easy smile. Although her face was sat casually, her soft jawline gritted under a pressure, the muscles in her face dancing under the soft-looking skin. She must have heard what Ginger said.

That was bad news for Ginger.

Another thing that Asami liked about Korra was that she wasn’t shy about expressing her sexuality.

Often she wished she could be so confident as well - even though she was technically out, it wasn’t _out out_. She’d never go to a pride parade, and yet Korra posted picture after picture, the blue, pink, and purple flag plastered all over her cheeks. She’d never tell her grandparents, but Korra’s grandmother was practically her biggest supporter, always commenting how proud she was underneath said pictures.

Asami was jealous of that, but not overly. She was lucky enough that her father accepted her, even if he was begrudged about her expressing it.

“Sure am.” Ginger spoke up, seeming to regain her wits. “But it looks like Asami doesn’t want to catch up with me.” She pouted good-naturedly, but Asami forced herself to look away, back to the paintings on the wall.

_The paintings on the wall!_

“Shit.” She breathed out, and almost immediately regretted it, because all that her expletive had done was draw attention to herself. The other two broke their intense stare to look at her.

Korra put a hand on her shoulder. It was warm; comforting. “Are you okay?”

But Ginger. Ginger was a lot of things. Cruel and vindictive, obviously, but observant too. Her eyes went straight passed Asami and attached themselves to the wall, then back to Korra, and then back to the wall again. “Oh my god!” She laughed, and Asami cringed under the noise.

_She had seen it, then._

Korra gave Ginger a strange look, which was very kind of her, but it did nothing to ease the tension in Asami’s shoulders. She was embarrassed.

“I’ll be going now.” Ginger smirked. “I’ll leave you and your _muse_ too it, shall I, Asami?”

“…Muse?” Korra blinked, watching as Ginger strutted down the corridor before making a left, towards the library. She turned back to Asami, her expression adorably dopey. “What was that all about?”

Asami sighed, unable to look into Korra’s eyes for longer than a second. They were so bright, so full of warmth. _Those_ were the eyes of a head girl. A head girl would do what Korra just did, if she heard someone using the D-slur. If Ginger had been a Zaofu student, Korra might even have done worse.

“Look at the wall, Korra.” She receded. Better her just say it, than Korra realise herself a moment later.

“It’s your art, right?” She said with a smile, turning to the wall. For a second, her expression remained the same. Placid, relaxed, unmoved. And then she seemed to freeze over, as if she’d been paralysed from the neck up. After a very long and rigorous couple of seconds, something snapped on the girl’s features, so harshly it almost made Asami flinch.

It was a moment before she realised Korra was laughing.

“Oh, that’s so humiliating for you!” Korra snickered, trying to hide her mouth with her hand. Asami shoved her lightly, her face pinkening beyond redemption, but Korra didn’t let up. Despite the embarrassment, this reaction was much pleasanter than the one Asami had been imagining in her head. This one was _much preferable._

“I didn’t even know you when I painted these. Shut up.” She said, still clawing at Korra lightly, hoping the girl would stop laughing.

“I know, I know.” Korra assured her. “It’s just so funny though.”

Her hand traced over the nearest one.

It was a woman – a woman that looked considerably like Korra – in the shower. Her neck was exposed, her face directly underneath the stream of water. Her breasts were covered by her elbows, and the painting cut off just below her navel, but the lines of her muscled abdomen were perfectly visible (and perfectly delightful, Asami might add).

Korra’s eyes trailed the woman’s stomach too, and Asami watched as she bit back another giggle.

“It’s very lifelike. I would know.” She said shortly. Asami let out a long and pronounced groan.

“It’s not you!” She insisted.

“Sure it isn’t.”

“It isn’t.”

“It looks _just_ like me.”

“Body-wise. You aren’t the only girl who looks like that, you know.” Asami argued.

Korra chuckled. “I guess it can’t actually be me, since you didn’t know me when you painted ‘em.”

Asami puffed out her cheeks.

“ _But,_ ” Korra added, before Asami could speak up again. “It does look a lot like me. At least now I know that I’m your type.”

“ _My--?”_ But before Asami could truly process those words, another figure burst out onto the corridor.

She was wearing a rugby jersey, and her hair was tied up into a signature plait.

“Korra, how the fuck do we get out of this labyrinth?” Kuvira asked. Her features were angry, but they softened upon seeing Asami. “Oh, hey Asami. Come to watch the match?”

“This was her high school, Vira. She came to get her art. Right?” Korra turned back to Asami.

It was only then that she noticed the sweat glistening on Korra’s body. It shined on her neck. Her hair was pulled up even higher than normal, just like how she put it up for matches. Her undercut was visible. Asami wondered what the stubble would feel like under her fingers.

They must have been playing a game. It hadn’t even crossed Asami’s mind to question why Korra was there, randomly walking through the hallways of her old high school.

“I can take you to reception, if you’d like.” Asami spoke politely. “I just need to put these pictures into this folder and then I’m going home.”

Kuvira sniffed. “You definitely know your way back?”

“She came here everyday for five years.” Korra pointed out, helping Asami take the pictures off of the wall and putting them into the large plastic art folder. Asami eyed the tight, long-sleeved vest Korra was wearing, her muscular arms pulling at the seams of it, before turning back to Kuvira.

“Yeah, I definitely know my way back.”

“Fine. Then I’ll help.”

**Friday**

**_if mako got laid do you think he’d be nicer ?_ **

**Mako:** What is with the group chat name?

 **Mako:** Who changed it to that?

 **Mako:** Guys?

 **Opal:** yall hear sumn?

 **Opal:** anyway

 **Opal:** party at mine tonight

 **Opal:** technically it’s Kuvira’s party, but what’s the difference

 **Bolin:** really!!!! Exciting :)))

 **Bolin:** what time shall I get there????

 **Opal:** babe come a bit earlier yeah?

 **Opal:** I wanna hang out

 **Asami:** she means fuck

 **Bolin:** oh uh

 **Opal:** ;)

 **Bolin:** how early?

 **Mako: F** ive minutes before it starts should be more than enough time for you, right Bolin?

 **Asami:** ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

 **Asami:** ROASTED

 **Opal:** pls :( bolin lasts six to eight minutes

 **Bolin:** hey!!!!!

 **Bolin:** I last more than that:(

 **Opal:** no sad face

 **Opal:** okay we’re moving on from me and my boyfriends sex life

 **Asami:** but it was finally getting interesting

 **Opal:** perv

 **Asami:** says you xxxxx

 **Opal:** ANYWAYS

 **Opal:** what time are u getting here, Asami?

 **Asami:** I can’t tonight

 **Asami:** I’ve got work at my dad’s office, then homework

 **Mako:** But it’s Friday night?

 **Asami:** I’ve got two deadlines in for midnight tonight

 **Asami:** also parties fucking suck

 **Opal:** oh yeah I forget u don’t like em

 **Opal:** will it change your mind if Korra is there?

 **Opal:** hello???

 **Opal:** oh she’s thinking about it

 **Opal:** I can see her typing

 **Opal:** cmon asami!!!!

 **Asami:** I want to but I really cant :(

 **Opal:** fine

 **Opal:** mako ur my new best friend

 **Asami:** Opal!

 **Mako:** I shall pass, thank you.

 **Opal:** asami ur re-hired. Mako ur musty ass is stale anyway.

 **Bolin:** awe babe ur so dreamy I love how u speak to my brother

Asami turned her phone off. She’d told a white lie to Opal – she wasn’t actually interning that night – but there was some paperwork that needed to be filled out sooner rather than later, and although she did have assignments due that night, she’d submitted them a while back

She just didn’t like parties.

It wasn’t like she liked homework either though. Impatiently, she clicked the ‘X’ in the corner of her screen, closing all of her tabs at once. If she did another minute of mindless research for business class she was going to throw up.

That being said, she had sketches to finish. Those were far more enjoyable however. An hour passed, and she worked and worked and worked. It felt good – it felt better than maths anyway. Her father was probably downstairs, expecting her to be filling in some business spreadsheets, or whatever the hell he wanted from her these days. That just wasn’t her.

“That’s just not me.” She mumbled, liking the way the words tasted on her tongue.

A noise from her phone awoke her from her art-induced trance.

She picked it up, seeing a few new notifications on the group chat. Glancing back down at the work, she decided that she could do with a quick break; everything was coming along nicely after all. Her eyebrows furrowed when she read the first message.

**Opal:** look at this girl Korra’s making out with?????

 **Opal:** _[[ attached video ]]_

 **Mako:** Why are you filming this?

 **Bolin:** babe where are you :))))

 **Opal:** proof for Asami

 **Asami:** ew wtf aha

 **Bolin:** babe I can’t find u????

 **Opal:** don’t worry ur way hotter than her

 **Bolin:** babe?????

 **Opal:** kitchen, bo

Asami put her phone down, but not before she watched the video three times over.

She didn’t know why it bothered her so much. Sure, she _liked_ Korra, in a _she’s-pretty-attractive-and-funny_ way, but it wasn’t like Korra was her girlfriend. The bubbling annoyance in her chest seemed to say otherwise.

And the worst part was, there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn’t just go to the party, and even if she could, what would she say? _Make out with me instead!_ Korra was a whole, eighteen-year-old woman, and she could do whatever she wanted.

“Damn her.” Asami said with a crude laugh. Her heart was aching a little. But there was nothing she could do. To Korra, she was a nobody. A friendly face in the corridors, but nothing more.

_Unless…_

She opened her laptop, and went to the college email service. The thought had occurred to her, and it was as if she didn’t have a choice in the matter anymore. It was something she wanted to do anyway! Not just because Korra had betrayed her trust, despite having no knowledge that Asami had bestowed her trust in her in the first place.

It took her a few seconds to find Kya’s name in the contact list.

“Fuck it.” She mumbled, frantically typing out the email she’d had planned in her head since Wednesday morning.

_Kya,_

_Hope this email finds you well :)_

_My art is coming along really well! I’m really thankful for all the help you’ve given me, especially over the last six months._

_Anyway, this email isn’t about art (weird, I know). Instead, I was hoping you could put my name forward for candidacy as head girl? I know you suggested it and I said no, but after being in college all week, I’ve had a change of heart._

_Get back to me._

_Thank you regardless,_

_Asami_

It took a whole minute for Kya to reply. She was that teacher that was always on the email service at weirdly late hours of the day. Asami always thought that was quite amusing.

_Asami_

_put u forward, ur welcome_

_Kya_

– _Sent from my Iphone_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those that don't understand the UK schooling system:
> 
> [the uk schooling system](https://www.hmc.org.uk/about-hmc/projects/the-british-education-system/)
> 
> [uk school years verse american school years](https://www.free-for-kids.com/uk-us-education-systems.shtml)
> 
> So for reference! Asami and Korra are in year thirteen, which would be Senior year of high school if they were American :) But high school ends at 16 here.
> 
> "Footie" - English slang for soccer.  
> "Tories" - English slang for a member or supporter of the Conservative party. I'm not going to get into my own beliefs because this isn't the forum for that, but a lot of teenagers, especially from non-conservative areas use this term as an insult.  
> "Wanked" - Masturbated (I hope yall knew this but just in case)  
> "Personal Statement" - sort of like a college essay, but longer and filled with random crap  
> "Oxbridge" - abbreviation for Oxford University and Cambridge university
> 
> I hope u enjoyed! and maybe learnt a bit about the *extravagant* culture of england


	2. WEEK 01

**Monday**

Asami shook with nerves as she entered the meeting room.

She couldn’t believe she’d done it. At the time, it had seemed like a worthwhile and well-thought-out plan, even if it was fuelled by annoyance at Korra (even though Korra wasn’t hers to be annoyed with). Reasoning aside, that didn’t matter now. She had done it, applied to be head girl, and now she was running and more than likely, was running against Korra.

Maybe the rugby player wouldn’t want to do it, now that she had competition, and would drop out. Asami hoped so. There wasn’t anybody else running for the role – not even any of the politics students wanted to ruin the tradition the rugby team held. That was why Asami had to win – to break the traditions, and to change the one unfair part about the best place she’d ever studied at.

With her motives sound, she pushed open the door to reveal a handful of teenage boys, some of whom she recognised, though only in passing, and the senior teaching staff. She saw Kya and waved. Next to her art teacher was Tenzin, her brother, and head of the social sciences department, specialising in philosophy, and next to him was Coach Lin.

“Hello Asami.” Tenzin said with a calm smile. “I was surprised to read your application! Not that it isn’t welcome, come sit down.”

Lin was pulling an awful expression at Asami, lips pulled up in a look of distaste, eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. Asami got the impression that perhaps the coach didn’t think her application was welcome at all.

“Where’s Korra?” She asked. She should be there, right?

Lin muttered something under her breath, that earnt her an accusatory glance from Tenzin.

“She will be here any minute.” He assured, before turning to everyone else. “Are all you boys feeling okay? I think you’re all here.”

“Trust the females to be late.” One of them snarked from the front. Asami knew him from her business class, but they’d never spoke. He seemed stuck-up.

“That’s enough, Kaede.” The Coach barked. “Unless you want _this_ female to give you laps.”

“I don’t even take P.E.!” He spluttered, but everyone in that room knew that that wouldn’t stop Lin. If they didn’t already, the smile the coach was wearing would soon tell them. She was maniacal, and the suffering of her students was her biggest delight, although she kept it all under a stern face. Some people said she took after her mother, who was the head coach for forty years, but had retired before Asami had enrolled at Zaofu.

Everyone sat in an uncomfortable silence for a little while longer. Asami watched her art teacher scribble something on a piece of paper and pass it to Tenzin, who read it and rolled his eyes. He passed it to Lin, who let out a low scoff, before writing her own response and sent it back. The only teenage girl in the room watched with interest – she didn’t think Kya and Lin were friends.

“If she isn’t coming, we should just start, Tenzin.” Kya said, shooting Asami a wink.

“She’s coming.” Lin said tightly. “Of course the Head Girl would be coming to this.”

The room seemed paralysed for a second, and Asami’s earlier assumption had been right. Lin was not interested in Asami being head girl. Surprisingly, this knowledge didn’t deter Asami. If anything, it motivated her even more. If the coach was going to be stuck in her ways, then Asami would have to claim power and change that tradition, too.

“Lin.” Tenzin said warningly.

Lin met him halfway. “Tenzin.”

There were rumours that the two had once dated; Asami didn’t see it. She’d met Tenzin’s wife once, by accident, when she’d been talking to Kya, and the quiet but amusing Pema seemed far more suited to him than the abrasive Coach Lin.

“If she isn’t coming,” Tenzin let out a long sigh, “Then I have no choice but to—”

“I’m here!” The door flew open and hit the wall with a crash. Everyone whipped around to find the source of the noise; everyone, except Asami. She knew who it was. Who else could it be? And even if she hadn’t been waiting for her arrival with bated breath, she’d know that voice anywhere.

“Korra.” Kya said with a small (and obviously forced) smile. “Come on in. We weren’t sure you were going to make it.”

“Pffff.” She waved Kya off, plonking herself next to Asami without looking over at the girl. “How could I miss this? I just figured it wouldn’t matter what time I got here, since I’m the only candida…” The word fell out of her mouth in one long ‘aaaaaaah’ noise, that faded into the art student’s name. “…Asami?”

Asami smiled weakly. She wished Korra had just come in and apologised for being late, rather than opened her mouth like that. Coach Lin was probably wishing the same.

“It’ll be laps, next time.” Lin said. “The future Head Girl can’t afford to be late.”

“Lin!” Kya snapped. “Will you stop that?”

“Indeed, Lin.” Tenzin nodded, shooting Asami an apologetic smile. “We no longer know who will be head girl.”

Korra was still staring at Asami with her mouth wide open. Asami winced. This was uncomfortable.

“Asami?” Korra said again, more quietly, and even though it shouldn’t Asami’s heart clenched a little. She hadn’t wanted to _upset_ Korra. She was just tired of traditions being enforced, and if there was anywhere that that should stop, it was Zaofu.

“Hey, Korra.” She said meekly. The athlete wouldn’t stop looking at her in disbelief. It gave Asami a brief – very brief – moment to inspect the loose black crop top she was wearing, revealing delightful lines of stomach muscles, as well as the usual top knot, tied with a black bobble. Her face was bare, but Asami thought maybe Korra was using some blush that day, or bronzer perhaps, for she seemed more full of colour than usual.

There was an awkward cough from the front of the room. Everyone turned to face Tenzin.

“Let’s continue, shall we?” He asked. “Now that everyone is here, I will explain the layout of the election. Unlike many sixth form colleges around here, we like to adopt an American-esque system, since a lot of our students do end up going abroad, if not to live than at least to study, and that’s especially applicable to our politics students. That being said, this campaigning period will only be lasting five weeks, and each week has a structured process that you will be expected to adhere to. Is everyone following so far?”

There were a series of nods from around the room.

“Then let’s continue. This week is week number one, the campaign launch. Posters, dedicated sections in the school paper, social media, whatever you want to use to get your candidacy known to the student body, it is allowed to start from as soon as we leave this room. Anyone caught bullying, or cyber-bullying, however, shall be completely disqualified, as well as forced to face the usual sanctions. Suspension, more than likely, but it depends on the severity of the case.”

“Surely this is much more difficult for the boys?” Kaede pointed out. “There’s eighteen of us, and two girls.”

“If only two boys had applied, and eighteen girls, it would have been the same thing.” Kya said. “And it usually goes like that, as well. This is just how things turned out this year. The boys’ election and the girls’ election will be kept completely separate, as well, so don’t concern yourself with them, since it won’t help you in the least.”

“I see.” Kaede hummed.

“Next week, the real campaigning starts. Over week two and three, you will be expected to head one fundraising event. I don’t care what it is, and it can be as simple as a bake sale, but if you fail to raise one thousand pounds, you are disqualified.”

Asami already had some ideas, and began scrawling them into a notebook she’d brought with her. One thousand pounds sounded like a lot, but three thousand people attended Zaofu college, and if one third of them donated one pound, they’d meet their quota. The only problem was there were twenty fundraisers about to happen, not just two, and people may be willing to part with a couple quid but probably not twenty pounds.

“On the Wednesday of the fourth week, there will be a mock debate.” Tenzin said, and already there was a bumble of commotion around the room. Asami vaguely remembered last year’s, but she’d only caught the last five minutes – what she did remember was it had been very intense, and Zhu Li had never looked so intimidating, and Asami had known her quite a long time. “This event always proves to be popular. It will be adjudicated by myself, and depending on how many people are left in the election, may take on a tournament-like structure. Of course, that isn’t the case for Asami and Korra.”

Asami nodded. She was thankful in a way, that there was nobody else she was competing against. This was already going to be a lot to keep a track of.

“The fifth week, however, always proves to be the most important. On the Monday, is the candidate’s dinner party. On the Tuesday, the paper releases their approximations for the vote. On the Thursday, the voting occurs, and it is compulsory for everyone in college to put forward their pick, and on Friday, the winner is announced.”

“Busy week.” Korra muttered. She was staring daggers at her desk, her lips jutting out in a pout. Asami noticed that she wasn’t taking notes.

“Indeed.” Tenzin agreed with a short nod. “And I should say, to whoever in here wins these elections, you will have to perform a victory speech to the entire college, though I hardly think you’ll need to start writing it now.”

“The entire college?” Asami asked.

“We don’t hold many assemblies,” Tenzin conceded, “And this is a new tradition. We’re adding new structures to the school day.”

“Ah.” Asami said with a small frown. She had never enjoyed the assemblies in high school, and in college there not _being_ assemblies had been one of the perks.

“That’s all I have to say.” Tenzin clapped his hands together. A few of the guys appeared to have been falling asleep. “Lin? Kya? Anything to add?”

“Zaofu may be a school with brand new computers and new buildings and modern art mumbo jumbo on the walls,” Lin said suddenly, catching everyone’s attention, “But it is built on tradition. Tradition is what keeps this place strong. Some things, some _traditions_ , shouldn’t change. Shouldn’t even be challenged.”

Tenzin frowned at the P.E. coach but said nothing.

“I have nothing to say, Tenzin,” Kya said with a warm smile, “Only may the best candidates win.”

“And on that notion, I think we shall adjourn this meeting.” Tenzin said. “Make sure you don’t leave anything in here because the cleaners will be in at lunch time and will throw out anything that doesn’t belong in here.”

Asami double-checked she’d got everything, and hadn’t left anything on the floor, before standing and smiling at Kya.

“Good luck!” Her art teacher mouthed. Asami mouthed back her thanks and left the room quietly, not wanting Lin to stop her and have a ‘word’.

She’d thought she failed in that task when a hand grabbed her shoulder, but it was far too brown to be Lin’s. Asami turned around nervously. Korra was staring at her intensely, her face pulled into a deep frown.

“What the fuck, Asami?”

Asami folded her arms, unable to meet Korra’s eyes so she looked at her hairline instead – it was directly below her nose, after all. “What?”

“How could you do this?” She hissed. “I’m the captain of the rugby team!”

“And?”

“And that’s how it works around here!” Korra exclaimed. “The captain of the rugby team is head boy. Do you know how hard it was for me and Vira to get on the team? How many hours we had to train? Do you know how unlikely it was that either of us were ever gonna be captain?”

“I get that!” Asami said. “And it’s impressive that you are captain, but it doesn’t give you the automatic right to be the head girl.”

“It kinda does.”

“That’s not how democracy works.” Asami said, slightly distracted by the bulging muscle from under the sleeve of Korra’s top. “Imagine if they made the England football team’s captain the _Prime Minister._ It’s a stupid tradition, and it literally makes no sense.”

Korra sighed, scratching the back of her neck and showing off even more delicious and muscular arm.

“I know that.” She admitted. “But I need my teammates respect. This is how to get it. I can’t back out of this, and I have to win.”

“There are other ways.” Asami argued gently. “Better and easier ways! If you win, it will be a lot of work as well, you know?”

“’You think I’m a slacker, then?” Korra asked defensively.

“What? No!”

“That’s basically what you said.”

“Korra, it really isn’t.”

Korra’s mouth formed a straight line. “So, you’re really not going to drop out then? You’re going to go through with it?”

Asami didn’t hesitate. “I am.”

Korra bit her lip, before letting out an annoyed laugh. “Man, I didn’t know you were such a fucking _bitch.”_

Asami widened her eyes.

“Don’t be like that.”

“Just leave me the fuck alone.” Korra muttered. “It’s not like you’ll win anyway. Art students are hot ‘n’ all, but I’m the captain of the rugby team. I wouldn’t even have to turn up to school for the next five weeks, and I’d still win. So whatever, have fun losing.”

She flipped Asami off before pocketing her hands into her jeans and strolling down the corridor. Asami watched her go, noticing the familiar sensation of tears prickling her eyes.

“What the fuck.” She muttered angrily, taking out her phone.

**_u should listen to taylor swifts new album!!!_ **

**Asami:** korra is a fucking bitch!!!!

 **Mako:** Is she?

 **Mako:** And why is the group chat named that, Opal?

 **Opal:** what she do

 **Opal:** and actually that was bolin

 **Asami:** basically told me I’d never win

 **Asami:** oh and called ME a bitch

 **Asami:** like uh what ??? what kind of reasoning ???

 **Asami:** and coach lin is totally on her side

 **Mako:** I feel like I am missing something?

 **Opal:** ….me too

 **Bolin:** hey guys!!!

 **Bolin:** what are we getting for lunch????

 **Asami:** oh I’m running for head girl

 **Asami:** did I not say

 **Opal:** …

 **Opal:** ………

 **Opal:** ………………

 **Opal:** WHAT??????????

 **Bolin:** we should get maccies

 **Asami:** zhu li and kya convinced me

 **Asami:** I am having some regrets :/

 **Mako:** That is surprising.

 **Mako:** I am very surprised.

 **Opal:** u really sound it, sharkie

 **Opal:** anyway ASAMI WHAT THE FUCK

 **Bolin:** is that a no to maccies?????

 **Asami:** don’t you think I can win?

 **Bolin:** it’s cheaper than nandos!!!!

 **Opal:** bolin baby I love u but read the room

 **Bolin:** I will meet u guys at maccies!!!!!

 **Mako:** Do you think he even reads the chat?

 **Opal:** anywayz

 **Opal:** asami u have my backing!!!

 **Opal:** I will make the paper super biased towards u

 **Asami:** ….idk if ur allowed to do that

 **Asami:** anyway, meet yall at maccies

 **Opal:** ya I’m almost there

 **Opal:** we have much to discuss

 **Mako:** I am on my way!

**Tuesday**

The poster in front of Korra was nothing short of offensive.

At the centre, was a picture of the pretty art student that Korra had once admired, her green eyes smiling brightly at the camera, and above her was ‘SATO’, capitalised and bold. Around her were pretty drawings, and instructions to vote for her, and even small promises already. The poster was laminated, and larger than Korra’s upper torso, and it was obviously made by an art student. There were hundreds of them around the college as well, and it had only been one day since the kick-off of the campaigns.

So, she was really serious about running for head girl.

Korra almost felt bad. Any other year, and Asami would be a shoe-win. But this was the year that the captain of the rugby team also happened to be a girl, and tradition was tradition. There was a reason so many boys were running this year, after all. A non-rugby player wouldn’t have this opportunity again for another decade at least, probably.

“It’s pretty good, actually. We’ll need to make you some, bro.” A familiar voice said from behind her.

Korra greeted Kuvira. “Hey dude.”

“It’s that girl from last week, isn’t it? The one that went to Republic grammar. I can’t believe she’d have the balls. What did you do to piss her off?”

“Me? Piss _her_ off?” Korra laughed. “Nothing. We hardly speak.” She paused, frowning, thinking of the week before and the paintings on the wall, and how Asami had flushed lightly when she’d laughed, rouge lips pulling up in an enchanting smile. ”I thought we were friends, though.”

“You probably did something.” Kuvira said dismissively. “Not like it matters. You’ll win anyway. No amount of posters in the world can change tradition.”

Korra couldn’t help but think the tradition had already changed when they’d made _her_ the captain of the rugby team, but she said nothing. She wondered what Asami was doing then. Planning more campaign strategies?

“We need something better than posters.” She thought aloud. “Maybe, like. Badges.”

“Badges? That’s your big idea?” Kuvira scoffed. “No offence, but I think I’ll handle the campaigning.”

Korra turned to look at Kuvira, questioningly. “What’s in it for you?”

The smile Kuvira wore was even colder than her usual one. “You’re my friend, aren’t you?”

“Right.” Korra folded her eyes, her brain already miles away from Kuvira’s odd demeanour. She couldn’t stop thinking about Asami, and the fire in her eyes when she’d spat with Korra the day prior. In truth, Korra’s reasons for being head girl were a little self-serving, but Asami… It looked like she really wanted it. That perhaps, she was the better candidate.

Korra shook her head. That didn’t matter. She’d heard watch Coach Lin had said, and it wasn’t just her she was doing this for.

“C’mon. I need a ride.” Korra mumbled.

“You’ll need to get your license eventually, man.” Kuvira said, shoving her hands into her pockets. “Where to?”

“Uh,” Korra coughed awkwardly. “You know where the Satos live, right?”

“Bro.”

“This will help the campaign,” Korra lied. “I promise.”

**_opal is sexy and mako is ugly_ **

****

**Mako:** This is borderline bullying.

 **Opal:** imma borderline ur mum

 **Mako:** …

 **Mako:** That doesn’t make any sense at all.

 **Bolin:** plus we don’t have a mum!!!!

 **Opal:** :0

 **Opal:** shit my bad u guys

 **Mako:** It is okay.

 **Asami:** if mako didn’t always text like that id think he was mad

 **Opal:** lmaoooo

 **Opal:** hows the campaign

 **Opal:** did u see the paper today

 **Opal:** u were really FRONT PAGE news

 **Mako:** It was a little rude, no?

 **Asami:** it was better than I’d thought it would be, to be honest

 **Opal:** bro I literally wrote the article

 **Opal:** I wasn’t gonna let them rip u to shreds

 **Asami:** so u called me ‘the eccentric choice’?????

 **Opal:** in my defence

 **Opal:** the editor wanted to call you ‘the insane choice’

 **Mako:** Tradition really is a big deal at Zaofu, isn’t it?

 **Bolin:** I wish we could vote for u asami :(

 **Opal:** tbf its probably better that the girls have to vote for the head girl

 **Opal:** the dudes would all vote for korra bc rugby 4 lyfe

 **Asami:** true

 **Asami:** plus im cool and friendly!

 **Asami:** I have a chance

 **Asami:** right?

 **Asami:** …..guys?

 **Bolin:** yes ofc!!!!!! U are the baddest bleep!!!!

 **Mako:** Sure.

 **Opal:** idkkkk ive seen korras abs

 **Bolin:** babe u shouldn’t say that!!!!!!

 **Asami:** ive seen them too fuckkkk ughhhhhh

 **Asami:** it will be fine

 **Opal:** no more creaming over ur rival

 **Asami:** opal!

 **Asami:** I was never creaming over her!

 **Mako:** I am gravely uncomfortable.

 **Opal:** silence, straight boy

 **Opal:** and don’t lie to ur friends asami

 **Asami:** im not lying

 **Bolin:** sureeeeeee ;)))))))

 **Asami:** whatever it doesn’t matter now

 **Asami:** korra is a fucken bitch

 **Asami:** she was so rude to me yday!

 **Mako:** But it does seem like she has a motive for all this, doesn’t it?

 **Opal:** mako I JUST gave u explicit instructions to stfu

 **Opal:** if asami says korras a bitch, then she a bitch

 **Opal:** I don’t make the rules

 **Asami:** why is korra outside my house????????

 **Mako:** What?

 **Opal:** HUHHHHHHHH????

 **Opal:** SHES WHAT

 **Asami:** OH MY GBUCJBWJ VARROCK IS ANSWEING THE DOOR

 **Opal:** Asami????

 **Opal:** I think she’s gone

 **Bolin:** omgggggggg

 **Bolin:** the dramaaaaaaaa

 **Mako:** I wonder what is happening.

 **Opal:** if korra lays a finger on asamis head I will break her hand

 **Opal:** idgaf about the success of the rugby team

Korra gulped.

The ride here had been thirty minutes, which was about the same time it took Korra get to college as well. Except, in the other direction…. She groaned, thinking of the hour long ride back home, with just Kuvira.

Sato Manor was about the same size as her house, only in a much more expensive neighbourhood than Southern Town. Korra wondered briefly if they’d always lived like this, or if this was _new money,_ as her father would call it. If her father owned a tech company, it was probably the latter.

She knocked awkwardly. This was seeming more and more like a bad idea.

A man opened the door.

He had a fine black moustache, skin almost the colour of Korra’s, if a little warmer, and dull blue eyes. His build was wiry, and he was wearing a thick blue jacket despite the fact that it was hardly autumn yet, the evening’s air pleasantly cool. If Korra had to guess his age, he was probably in his early twenties, possibly a uni student. Definitely not old enough to be Asami’s dad, and didn’t look anything at all like her to be her brother.

A strange feeling bubbled in the bottom of Korra’s chest. Who was this man?

Korra blinked at him; he blinked back.

“Varrick!” A voice – _Asami’s_ voice – called from somewhere above the man, and it was followed by the sound of feet thundering down a staircase. Her face, bare of makeup and still undeniably pretty, popped out from behind the man. Her hand was on his shoulder. “Hey, this is my friend, Korra.” She said quickly, glancing at Korra.

The man looked at Korra. “Ah, I see. Lovely friend you have, Asami. I hope she’s as good to you as I am!”

Asami rolled her eyes. “You’re annoying.”

“But you love me!” He said, a haphazard finger coming to point into the air.

The green-eyed girl giggled. “I suppose I do. Don’t tell Zhu Li I said that, though, because she’ll never let me hear the end of it.” Korra had heard the name Zhu Li before, but she couldn’t for the life of her remember from where. If she was being honest with herself, that wasn’t the biggest of her concerns.

She had had _no_ idea that Asami was dating an older guy.

If the paintings Asami had drawn were any indication, Korra had thought Asami was into girls. That’s what that red-haired girl form her high school had implied, after all, even if the way she’d said it was abhorrent.

Varrick, which Korra guessed was the man’s name, turned around in a smooth motion and sauntered back into the house.

After that, it was just Asami and Korra. Korra couldn’t bear awkward silences.

“How long have you and him…?”

“I met him when I was fourteen.” She said with a shy smile. “He’s ridiculous, but at this point, he’s like family.”

 _Fourteen?_ That was four years ago. Asami had been dating him since she was fourteen? When Korra had been fourteen, she’d still played on her DS. She hadn’t even started dating – _noticing girls at all_ – till college.

“I see.” Korra said uncomfortably, before shaking the feeling off. She hadn’t come here to _flirt_ with Asami. The girl’s sexuality was completely irrelevant to Korra.

It was at this point when Korra noticed what Asami was wearing. On her bottom half were paint-streaked dungarees that hung around her hips, the front part hanging down. This gave way to a soft and lean belly, creamy and also specked with paint, and an old-looking Calvin Klein sports bra. Korra felt her face heat up. “Uh, anyways!” She stammered. “I am here!”

“You… are here?” Asami said unsurely. Korra didn’t blame her. She had definitely said smoother things in her past.

“I am here,” She said more slowly, trying to regain any composure at all. “Because I just wanted to say, well. I’m sorry. About calling you a bitch, and stuff. You’re not a bitch.”

Asami’s look of discomfort faded into something softer. Her lips turned up into a smile. “It’s okay.” She said.

Korra held out her hand, glad that this encounter was almost over. “Truce?”

“And what does a truce consist of?” Asami asked, raising an eyebrow.

“A fair fight.” Korra surmised. “No name calling, no arguing, nothing like that. Outside of the debate, of course.”

Asami’s smile enlarged, and Korra felt something tug in her chest. She took the hand immediately.

“Deal.”

**Thursday**

Asami took a deep breath, before entering the kitchen. “Hey, Dad.”

Hiroshi was sat at the table, flicking through the business section of the paper. “Asami.” He greeted her like he would a business associate. In a way, she was one. “It’s been a while since we had a chat.”

She let out a little sigh. “It has, Father.” Asami agreed, and hoped she sounded more enthusiastic than she felt. “How is the business?” _The business that I do not give a rat’s arse about._

“Surviving through the crash,” He said, a frown growing underneath his overgrown moustached. “Which is about as much as we can hope for, isn’t it?”

“I suppose it is.” Asami conceded, knowing full well that they would be fine. It was smaller and local business that should be worried, but she knew not to mention that, for her father was not the type to care. “The admin I’ve done hasn’t got any harder, though. That’s a good sign for us?”

Hiroshi looked up from his paper. “As long as it’s been done at the correct standard.”

“I’m sure it has, father.” Asami said slowly, taking an orange from the fruit bowl and beginning to peel it. It was hard, and cold, from sitting under the open window. She put it down, and closed the window with a muffled slam.

Hiroshi turned the paper over, scanning the contents, before dropping it back onto the counter in front of him. Asami gulped; his eyes met hers, and his attention was entirely on his daughter. She should have wanted it, but instead it terrified her.

“And your classes? I trust you are still doing well.”

“I am.” She said with a nervous nod.

“And your favourite class? I trust it is still business. I viewed the curriculum, and this half-term looked quite interesting.”

“Yes, I am enjoying business.” Asami said smally. She wondered, for a split-second, just how her father would react if she told him her favourite class was actually art.

“And maths, too. This half-term looks difficult.”

“Mm. I’ve found it okay.” Asami lied. Suddenly, the orange seemed less appealing. She binned it when her father’s attention was back on the paper.

“I’m going to college now.” She told him, picking up her satchel.

“Oh, and Asami.” He said, and his voice was heavier than usual. “I saw that South girl here, on Tuesday. Tonraq’s daughter. Is she a new friend of yours?”

“No, uh. Well, I… I suppose she is. We’re both running for head girl.”

Hiroshi stayed silent for a moment, putting the paper in a cupboard where he kept them once he’d read them. He used them to light the fire in the main room, on occasion. Sometimes Asami would remove a few from the bottom to use as coverings for her floor whilst she painted, although it was always a risk taking them from there. If he knew she still liked to paint, he probably would call her childish. Or foolish, maybe.

“Head girl, hm? Cambridge will like that. And don’t stammer again, you sound like one of the blithering fools at the office.”

“Yes, father.” Asami agreed, before ducking out of the kitchen and into the foyer. Briefly, she remembered her last conversation with Korra, that happened on the very steps she was walking down, before pushing those thoughts aside. The less she thought about Korra, the better.

Asami was a lot of things. She was pretty, she was smart, and she was mildly popular – at least, she knew most people and was invited to parties quite regularly. In high school, she was never considered any of these things, so when she first came to Zaofu college, she was surprised at all the attention she gathered.

But it hadn’t been like this.

Ever since she’d arrived that morning, people had been turning to stare at her, whispers erupting into the air like wildfire. Her eyebrows furrowed, as she turned the corner from science towards business, to meet another crowd of people looking at her oddly. There was a mumble everywhere she went, it seemed. The election had been announced on Monday, so it couldn’t be that. But what else _could it be?_

One boy even called something out to her, but she didn’t quite catch it.

Asami couldn’t lie; her anxiety was getting the best of her. After being bullied in high school, the anxiousness she’d felt at the time had never quite gone away. This was reminding her an awful lot of that time in her life, the low, dreadful bubble of worry at the bottom of her chest beating like a second heart.

Finally, that bubble popped. A girl, probably in year twelve because Asami didn’t recognise her, pushed into her and Asami hit the wall with a light thud.

“You fucked it up for all of us.” She said angrily.

Asami raised her eyebrows. “I’m sorry, what?”

“We thought you’d be better than that jock.” The girl had blonde hair, half of which was pulled up at the back of her head. “But you’re just a different _kind_ of slag, aren’t you?”

“ _Slag?_ ” Asami raised her eyebrows. “What are you going on about?”

The girl folded her arms before letting out a noise halfway between a snort and a scoff. “Whatever.” She laughed. “I was voting for Korra, anyway. At least she’s open about the sex she has.”

Asami squinted her eyes in confusion. There was obviously a rumour going around about her, and a scandalous one at that, to cause such a reaction, but Asami had no clue what it could be at all.

“Opal!” She saw her friend from across the hall. Opal looked up at her with a look of anxiety, before summoning her over.

Asami rushed to join her.

“What the fuck is going on?” She asked.

“It’s all over twitter.” Opal muttered, scrolling down her feed before holding up the familiar screen - a tweet. Asami squinted; Opal’s hand was shaking, but she was able to make out one fragment of sentence: _sato sucks off older guys._

“What the—!” She gasped, yanking the phone properly from Opal and staring at the tweet in disbelief. “This isn’t true. How can anyone think this is true? Sure, I’m bi, but my preference towards guys isn’t _like that._ ”

“We know.” Opal assured her. “Bolin has gone to speak to someone in IT.”

“That won’t do anything.” Asami shook her head. “The teachers can’t do shit about a tweet. Look at all the retweets.”

“Not a teacher.” Opal said, looking over Asami’s head – probably seeing if Bolin had come back yet. “He has a friend who can help us. Track down the IP address, or whatever the fuck.”

“The IP…” Asami noticed the account was simply one of those pages that posted rumours about Zaofu, that people sent in. _Gossip Girl_ was a crime against humanity. “This whole account should get taken down.” She said frowning, scrolling through the tweets. “This is basically cyberbullying.”

“Mm. But if we know who’s account it is, we can find out who sent in the info. And _then_ , we can have that person jumped.”

“Uh, Opal?”

“Joking! Unless you want that.” Opal was being her usual playful self, but she didn’t smile at all. It didn’t make Asami feel great. “I’m not going to lie, Asami. This is gonna _suck_ for your image. We need to have it contained as soon as possible.”

“Contained?”

“Don’t worry, I’m on it.” Opal said, “Just don’t get seen with any older dudes till like, after voting day.”

“I don’t even _know_ any older dudes!” Asami pointed out. “And look, this is one of the only tweets on the page that doesn’t have a picture to prove it. The fact people believe this is stupid.”

“Stupid or not, they do. It’s just because you’re a candidate now, and you’re going against Korra. It’s pretty monumental.” Opal paused for a second, glancing back at her screen. “You don’t think…”

“What?”

“Mm? Nothing. Nothing, nothing. I just, uhh—” Opal’s eyes went passed Asami’s head. “Kya?”

Asami twirled around. “Kya!”

Her art teacher was there, clad in a baggy red t-shirt streaked with blue and yellow paint, and a pair of tight leggings. Asami took an appreciative glance at her teacher’s Docs, before maintaining her focus on the angst-ridden appearance on the older woman’s face.

“Asami, we need to talk. Opal.” She nodded quickly to the Beifong, before pulling Asami away and towards her office.

“What’s going on?” Asami asked, mouthing her goodbye to Opal. “Is this about…?”

“The older guys? Yes, Asami. It’s about the older guys. You should have told me about him before you put your name forward!”

Asami took a step back, her hand moving out of Kya’s grip. “There is no _him!_ ” She cried. “It’s fake.”

Kya scrutinised Asami’s expression for a second, before letting out a sigh of relief.

“Oh, thank god.” She sighed. “I thought I was fucked.”

“Will it affect your job that badly, just because you put me forward?”

Kya shook her head, smiling. “This has nothing to do with my job.”

They entered Kya’s office, which was exactly what you’d expect. Messy – exceedingly messy – and each surface was filled with oil paints and empty mugs and scraps of paper. The walls too, were covered in streaks of paints and doodles and newspaper articles. Asami’s eyes traced a brown stain on the carpet – she hoped it was coffee.

“Oh.” Asami didn’t understand what Kya meant by that.

“Let’s just say, I… Made a bet.” Kya sighed, taking her seat. Or rather, going onto her seat, but standing with crouched legs on the cushion rather than properly sitting. Asami wasn’t so surprised. “With Lin.”

“Oh?” Asami repeated the monosyllabic noise.

“Mhm.” Kya took out a piece of paper from the top draw. “Read this.”

In sloppy handwriting, there was a handful of sentences scrawled over the paper – which Asami realised was a napkin, with the nearby pub’s insignia on it.

**_I, Kya of the arts, bet two hundred quid, that Asami, my favourite student, will beat korra, lin’s favourite suck up, in the head girl candidacy._ **

**_I, Lin Beifong, strongly contest this, because Kya ~~is pretty~~ is a fool._ **

****

Asami blinked. “I didn’t know you two drank together?”

Kya let out a groan. “We don’t! Tenzin invited me, and I didn’t know she’d be there. Truthfully, we can get a bit competitive.”

“Right.” Asami raised an eyebrow, especially at Lin’s sentence. “And all you two did was drink?”

Kya’s face paled, before she smirked in annoyance. “Not a word to anyone.”

“Oh my _god_!” Asami cried. “Kya!”

“I am your teacher. I shouldn’t be telling you this at all.” She put her face in her hands. “Jesus Christ.”

“Oh my god.” Asami said again. And again. “Oh my _god._ ”

“You can shut up now!” Kya snapped, and Asami shut her mouth. “We need to figure out how to stop this rumour circulating, before it ruins your campaign before it even begins. I saw the posters by the way, very nice.”

“Thanks.” Asami nodded. “So, do you have any ideas?”

“I do, actually. We go, _gay._ ”

“Eh?”

“Just say you’re into girls, and that the lie is stupid.”

“I am _bi_ , Kya.” Asami pointed out. “I could still be into older guys.”

Kya sighed. “Can you fake date Opal?”

Asami decided that although Opal would probably be more than willing, she didn’t want to do that.

“No.”

“Ugh.” Kya rolled her eyes. “You need to think of something.”

“I could have Opal put something in the paper about it. Say I’m more into girls, and that this rumour is cruel, and proves that Zaofu is super messed up?”

Kya hummed. “Okay. That might work.”

“I might need to get back to Opal, then.”

“Fine, leave me!” Kya said with a half-laugh, but there was certainly worry still in her eyes.

The last thing she saw before the door shut properly, was Kya smiling at the napkin.

**Friday**

**Opal:** omg

 **Opal:** OMG

 **Opal:** IT WAS KORRA

 **Asami:** huh

 **Asami:** what was?

 **Mako:** What did I miss?

 **Bolin:** yeah, it was korra :(((( im so shocked!!!

 **Mako:** What was Korra?

 **Asami:** WAIT

 **Asami:** IT WAS KORRA ?

 **Asami:** But we just agreed to be friends ??

 **Mako:** What did she do?

 **Opal:** I can’t believe her

 **Opal:** snakey bitch

 **Opal:** we need to get our revenge

 **Mako:** Revenge for what?

 **Bolin:** Are you thinkin what im thinking??????

 **Asami:** that we fuckin crash their party ?

 **Bolin:** stink bomb in the changing room!!!!!

 **Bolin:** oh uh

 **Bolin:** yeah that’s what I was thinking

 **Bolin:** autocorrect

 **Opal:** babe ur so cute

 **Asami:** nasty

 **Opal:** but yes we crash their party

 **Opal:** it’s at mine again wtf

 **Opal:** kuvira aint even blood like??? Who she think she is??/?

 **Opal:** how is suyin cool with this shit??????

 **Mako:** …She’s still your sister.

 **Opal:** ugh don’t remind me ;)

 **Opal:** my counsellor and I discuss that OFTEN

 **Bolin:** :((((

 **Opal:** mine at seven?

 **Asami:** be there

 **Bolin:** or be square!!!!

“Looks like Mako’s square.” Bolin said with a smile, scratching the back of his head. “He said he had homework, or whatever.”

“Gross.” Opal said, blowing a raspberry. “Asami, you look hot.”

“Oh, do I?” Asami asked innocently, as if she hadn’t spent two and a half hours doing her hair, makeup, and picking out the perfect outfit.

“Yeah. I’m pretty sure if Korra doesn’t fuck you tonight, she was never going to fuck you.”

Asami’s eyebrows raised. “Opal!”

“Just saying!” She raised her hands defensively. Bolin gave her a hi-five. She smiled at him, kissing his cheek. “Love you, Babe.”

“What are we talking about, anyway?” He asked with a wide and friendly smile.

Opal, eager to make the moment awkward, answered casually, “Asami and Korra fucking. Because she’s so hot. Anyways, let’s get wasted.”

Asami didn’t drink alcohol, but followed them into Opal’s large kitchen anyway. The cupboards were all white, the surfaces made of stainless steel, and almost every inch of _everywhere_ was covered in red solo cups and spilled alcohol. Asami wrinkled her nose. This was _not her place._

A couple sat near them, practically devouring each other, and Asami had to manoeuvre herself around them so she could fill her cup from the tap. The water was sweet on her parched throat, but she didn’t feel like it was worth it – that couple had been gross.

“Why the hell are you here?” A gruff voice asked her. She turned around, spying the green eyes and braid before anything else.

Opal spied her too.

“Kuvira!” She cried. “Great party. Where do I submit a noise complaint?”

“Whatever, Tiny.” Kuvira folded her arms. “Do I look like I care?”

“Uh, well.” Opal paused. Bolin found his arms around her waist, and she kissed him on the cheek. Before she could reply to Kuvira, this seemed to distract her, and soon enough the pair were practically on the floor, making out. Asami wrinkled her nose again.

“Dear lord.” She muttered.

“Tell me about it.” Kuvira agreed. “Even so, you should probably go. Before Korra—”

“She’s who I’m here to see.” Asami interrupted.

“Oh?” Kuvira glanced down at Asami’s attire. “Coulda fooled me. Unless the rivalry thing has turned you on enough for—”

“Kuvira! My guy!” A dark brown arm slung itself over Kuvira’s shoulder. Asami managed to bite back a gasp of surprise – she’d come out of _nowhere._ “Who ya talking…” Blue eyes met green, cooling over like water in the freezer. “…To?”

“Korra.” Asami breathed out, with zero intention to.

She watched as blue eyes scoped her outfit, and her face, and her hair. Suddenly, Asami had some regrets. Why had she dressed up for this? What was wrong with her? Korra probably thought she was a whore, or, or…

_Why did she even come?_

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Korra said with a forced smile. Asami wondered if Korra was drunk, but her other hand was holding a J2O. So, she was just… Like that. Good to know.

“I wanted to… Talk to you.” Asami managed to get out. It didn’t help that Korra was wearing a pair of cycling shorts underneath her oversized band t-shirt, outlining the prominent muscles of her legs. Asami wondered what those legs would feel like, wrapped around her…

_And, that’s enough of that._

“Hm. I’ll leave you too it.” Kuvira grunted. “I think the dudes are playing beer pong.”

“Shit, already?” Korra’s head turned over her shoulder, trying to see if what Kuvira was talking about was true. Kuvira was already walking over, a swing in her step that may have been brought on by alcohol, when Korra turned her attention back to Asami.

For a second, her eyes seemed friendly, and Asami leapt.

“What the _hell_ , Korra? I know it was you who told everyone I was in a relationship with an older guy. Why would you do that? I thought we agreed to play a fair fight, and you _immediately_ stabbed me in the back? Like, _immediately._ ”

Korra frowned, folding her arms. Asami tried not to focus on the lines of her muscles, as prominent as they were.

“You _are_ in a relationship with an older guy.” She said sharply. “And the college deserved to know.”

Asami’s mouth dropped.

“Eh?”

“ _Varrick,_ or whatever his name was.” Korra said, looking away angrily. She was almost pouting, which confused Asami a little because if she didn’t know _for a fact_ that Korra thought she was mildly annoying, she’d think Korra was jealous.

“ _Varrick?_ ” Asami spluttered, half-laughing at the ridiculousness of the notion, and half-angry that Korra would ever suggest it. “Varrick is like a brother to me. His father and my father were best friends. He’s also dating _my_ best friend. What the hell, Korra?”

“You said you loved him!” Korra insisted.

“Don’t you have brotherly figures that you love?” Asami snapped. “Jesus Christ, Korra. All this because you were jealous.”

“I suppose I do, but— _Jealous_? I’m not jealous.” Korra insisted, eyes widening in indignation. “Where would you get that idea? I was just doing what was good for the college.”

“And you honestly believe that?” Asami said, her lips pulling into a smile. There was something cute about this Korra, who pouted and cried out. Something different from dumb jock Korra, different from serious politician candidate Korra. Was this party Korra?

Korra took a menacing step forward. They were the only two in the kitchen – the couple had moved when their perfect peace had been disturbed – but it was still risky. They were meant to be enemies, or rivals, or whatever; the whole school had already began pitching them against each other. The question _Sato or South?_ was asked more times in the last week than ever before, in the entire history of the universe.

“What is there to be jealous of?” Korra demanded, but Asami couldn’t bring herself to lose the smirk. There was something attractive about this Korra, too.

“Oh, I don’t know.” Asami shrugged dramatically. “Maybe you just _like me_ , and can’t deal with it. Why else would you jump to conclusions like that?”

Korra’s eyebrow twitched. “You think I fancy you?”

In truth, Asami did not. But she did think that this bothered Korra an awful lot, so she was going to use it to her advantage.

“I’m saying it’s a possibility.” Asami took a step forward as well, and soon their faces were so close she could feel Korra’s breath on her face. It smelled like J20 and mint.

“Well, maybe it’s a _possibility,_ ” Korra mimicked her tone, “That you fancy _me_ , too.”

“Too? So, you do?” Asami smirked, despite the fact that her heart’s bpm was now rising exponentially.

There was a charged moment between the two of them, in which everything seemed to fade away and it was just blue eyes, staring into green. Korra let out a growl of frustration, turning away to stamp off, but before she could do so, Asami grabbed the girl’s face and smashed their lips together.

It was awkward, for a split-second – rushed, and slightly painful as their teeth clanked together. But then, Korra reached behind Asami’s head and pulled her closer, and she wasn’t as rough as Asami had expected her to be, not like the video of Korra kissing that other girl. Korra’s lips were warm and soft, and moved with a hungry fervour that Asami met full-force.

When Korra took another step forward, pushing Asami against the counter and trapping her hands on either side of the taller girl, Asami pulled back at once.

“Have you been drinking?” She asked quickly, staring down at Korra’s dilated eyes and lips, that were usually the colour of milk chocolate, but now were blushing like a pair of plums.

“I don’t drink.” She shook her head. “You?”

“Neither.” Asami said, supressing a smile before leaning back down and kissing Korra’s lips once more. One of Korra’s hands found it’s way onto her lower back, descending further to clutch her ass, and Asami let out a gasp of delight, sinking further into Korra’s hands.

Her grip tightened on Korra’s back, nails pressing into skin, pulling her closer, before her lips descended down her jaw and underneath her undercut, enjoying how the short bristles felt against her nose. She pushed her hand up there, drawing Korra closer. Even though the shortness of the hairs should have made it spikey, it was good to touch – like stubble, almost.

“Shit, wait,” Korra pulled back, gasping for air. “We can’t… I mean, I _want_ to… But… What the fuck?”

“Not in the kitchen.” Asami agreed, grabbing the girl by the forearm and pulling her down the side of the kitchen to one of the staircases that led upstairs. They walked in rushed silence, and luckily this entire part of Opal’s house was uninhabited. The party had just began, after all. Usually, the hook-ups started later.

Opal’s room was unused. It probably wouldn’t stay that way for long, considering how intimate her and Bolin were feeling, but luckily, there was a lock on the door.

Korra sat on the bed. “It’s not your first time, right?”

Asami scoffed. “No, Korra. It isn’t…”

“Oh. Uh, who…?”

“You want a list?” Asami said with a smile.

She didn’t know why she said it – she’d slept with three people in her whole life, and couldn’t even remember one of their names. They were inconsequential to her now. She’d only done it because she’d just entered college and left her high school, and there were finally _other queer girls_.

“Nah, s’ppose not.” Korra laughed. “Are we actually, uh, doing this then? Like, you definitely want to—”

Asami cut her off with her lips, not wanting to have to question herself and her decisions which Korra’s probing surely would make her, before pushing Korra back onto the bed and straddling her lap. Korra grinned up at her.

“You talk too much.” She whispered, moving her hands under Korra’s shirt, and then further up, to a chest she’d only ever fantasised of feeling.

“Okay,” Korra blushed at the touch, “I’ll shut up.”

And she did, for a little while, but it only took twenty minutes and Asami had her screaming her name. They did it again, and again, and again, until their bones ached with exhaustion, until they couldn’t keep going, and collapsed onto Opal’s creamy covers.

She was going to kill Asami, but at that point in the night, she couldn’t help but think it was worth it.

It was like an itch that Asami had always had was finally scratched. She fell asleep pleasantly satisfied, the thoughts of the election and of the problems this hook-up would cause being the furthest thing from her mind.

**Saturday**

The next morning, Asami woke to Opal’s empty bed. The space next to her was cool, but there certainly _was_ a space, and there certainly had been someone sleeping their last night.

“Oh, _piss off._ ” She groaned, remembering her actions from the night before, the feeling of Korra’s body writhing underneath her, of teeth clamping into her shoulder, sure to leave a bruise. She touched the mark lightly, the sensitive skin crying out.

_What the hell had she done?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD TAYLOR SWIFT RELEASED A NEW ALBUM WHY IS SHE SO POWERFUL JKHGF IHOJHYFTGUHIGYUFTY CFHGJBU IHYVCGHJ I LOVE HERRRRRR!!!!!!! the devil works hard but ts works harder wow. i now have music to dedicate my entire soul and body to for another two weeks,,,mmm,,,, thanku queen !
> 
> anyways. hope yall liked the chapter. yes, it was always in the plan for them to hook-up this early. no, i have no regrets.


	3. WEEK 02

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of anxiety and anxiety attacks, alcohol, more explicit(ish) sex than usual

**Monday**

**_fuck asami! all my homies hate asami!_ **

**Bolin:** geeeeeeez

 **Asami:** OPAL

 **Mako:** What did you do, Asami?

 **Asami:** OPAL IM SORRY OKAY

 **Opal:** she fucked someone in my bed!!!!

 **Opal:** the rumours were right

 **Opal:** ur a whole. ass. whore.

 **Opal:** asami the SLAG

 **Opal:** i’m making that next weeks title

 **Mako:** Is this slut-shaming?

 **Opal:** shut UP mako

 **Opal:** GOD I hate u

 **Mako:**?

 **Asami:** I didn’t sleep WITH anyone

 **Asami:** I just slept there

 **Opal:** then WHY WERE YOU NAKED

 **Asami:** ….comfort?

 **Opal:** who was it

 **Opal:** I saw their car pull out

 **Opal:** who did u defile in my bed sheets

 **Opal:** anyone know someone with a green car

 **Bolin:** kuvira has a green car

 **Opal:** YOU SLEPT WITH MY SISTER ????

 **Asami:** no.

 **Asami:** and opal im really sorry!!!!

 **Opal:** then tell me who it was.

 **Asami:** IT WASN’T ANYBODY

 **Opal:** why are u hiding this??????

 **Opal:** oh my god it was mako

 **Mako:** I wasn’t even there?

 **Opal:** exactly!

 **Opal:** the perfect alibi !

 **Bolin:** seems unlikely babe!!!!!!!

 **Opal:** hm

 **Opal:** ive read all the agatha christie books

 **Opal:** I WILL work this out

 **Asami:** there is nothing to work out miss riverdale !

 **Opal:** its so mako

 **Mako:** It isn’t me!!

 **Opal:** WAS THAT TWO EXCLAMATION MARKS

 **Opal:** the world is ending

 **Opal:** literally what is life

 **Bolin:** Shall we have nandos for lunch????

 **Bolin:** I just got paid :))))))

 **Mako:** Yeah. Sounds good.

 **Asami:** okay meet u guys in ten

 **Opal:** this discussion is not over!

 **Opal:** but sure, ya girl wants some chicken

Asami didn’t like hiding things from her friends. She really, truly didn’t. It was always a difficult task, but this was something she had to keep secret. If she told Mako, he would lose his mind, and end up telling Bolin. If Bolin found out, he would tell Opal, and telling Opal simply wasn’t an option. Asami loved her best friend, but she was a complete wild card. Asami could wake up the next day with her sex scandal on the front page of the college paper, and Opal’s justification would be, ‘good sex makes for good PR’, and there would be nothing at all she could do about it. That meant that none of her friends could find out she fucked Korra.

In truth, there was more to it than just that. _In truth_ , Asami was also embarrassed. How deeply, deeply unprofessional, to sleep with the _sole_ rival in her campaign. Korra had an excuse – she was practically bound to win if she put in even the least bit of effort. She had room to gallivant, for want of a better word. But Asami? Asami was going to have to work to get where she wanted. And this was a huge setback.

Not to mention, the whole school already thought she was some kind of slut, who gave blowjobs to forty-year old men in parks after school (which was a strangely specific, and horrendous new rumour someone had started, jumping off the ‘older guy’ thing. Probably Kuvira. She should have seen it coming. There was nothing at all like British education when it came to spreading lies that everyone believed for no reason at all.)

Needless to say, with all the thoughts going on in her head – and the people whispering about her – she entered the Nandos by their college in a foul mood.

“There’s the whore!” Opal yelled, from the other side of the restaurant. Multiple people – some of whom were definitely students at Zaofu – turned to stare at Asami, as she walk-of-shamed it to the table.

“Mako not here yet?”

“He had P.E.” Bolin shrugged. “You know how Coach Lin is.”

“Ugh, tell me about it.” Asami groaned, pressing her head to the wood.

“Okay, you’re making me feel bad about cyberbullying you.” Opal frowned, staring at her friend. “Tell me what’s up, immediately, and I will do everything in my power to solve it.”

Asami half-laughed. A time machine wasn’t in Opal’s power.

“The election has really got me down. I feel like I’m in a losing race.” She confessed. “People were going to vote for Korra anyway. Now people think I’m a _prostitute_ , and they’re still going to vote for Korra _._ This whole thing feels like a mistake.”

“Sex work is real work.” Bolin said at once. Opal patted his cheek affectionately.

“It’s not popular work, though. If only…” She sighed. “You don’t happen to have a history of caring for old people, or something, do you? It would be great PR.”

The phrase Asami dreaded.

“No. I have a history of working in a vaguely corrupt business.” She said flatly.

“Could you buy Zaofu some new computers?” Bolin suggested helpfully.

“Zaofu is up to date.” Asami sighed. “Downside of being a modern college.”

“Plus, buying votes in generally frowned upon by the journalist club. We’d probably tear you apart in the paper.” Opal frowned. “I told them, by the way, that it was Korra who sent the message about you whoring around with an older man.”

“And what did they say?”

“Well,” Opal sighed. “Nothing good. I can’t prove that I found it out with honest means, and the guy who runs the account – who’s a total freak, by the way. He doesn’t even go to Zaofu anymore. Legit, he graduated like five years ago. He’s twenty three and smells like weed.”

“And ass.” Bolin added.

“Yeah, and ass. Well, he won’t make a statement about it, because of all the bullying and lives he’s ruined.” Opal rolled her eyes. “I get that he’d be absolutely steam-rolled, but come on! It’s for the greater good.”

“And they won’t publish it without evidence?” Asami asked.

Opal shook her head. “They say there’s no motive either. Korra is ahead in the voting approximations. Like, by _a lot._ Logically, there’s no reason she’d want to sabotage you. Plus, everyone thinks she’s super nice, so there’s _double_ no reason she’d want to sabotage you.”

“She isn’t really nice.” Asami said exasperatedly. “She’s…” Asami didn’t know how to finish that sentence. _A bitch_ , would work. _Really hot_ , would also work. _A surprisingly attentive lover_ , was her third choice. Instead of picking any of these, Asami closed her mouth.

“Yeah. She’s _bleurgh!_ ” Bolin finished. “Too bad she’s the shining star of the rugby team.”

“I mean, have you _seen_ her in those shorts.” Opal smiled to herself. “And Kuvira too. Geez. I am excited for the match on Wednesday.”

“The match?” Asami frowned.

“Yeah, it’s finally a home game. And the semi-finals, too.” Opal replied. “If they win, the finals will be held next week, in the Zaofu stadium.”

“That’s impressive.” Asami said. Zaofu had one of the best rugby teams in England, and therefore, all the world. Lot’s of people tuned in to watch their matches – somewhere in the millions, she was pretty sure. She’d covered it in business class, when they’d gone over inward investment. Of course, Zaofu _college’s_ team wouldn’t receive the same attention, but it would be a great stepping stone for the players to go pro.

“It really is.” Bolin groaned in delight. “And the hotdogs they serve! God, it makes me feel young again.”

“You’re only just eighteen.” Opal said flatly.

Bolin’s nose twitched, and he broke out giggling. “You got me.” He said.

Opal kissed him softly on the cheek. Asami wrinkled her nose. She spotted Mako coming in from the entrance, and waved him over. He looked more relaxed than usual, especially since he’d just had P.E.

“Okay, that was so weird.” He said.

“Huh? We kiss all the time, bro.” Bolin said, wrapping a protective arm around Opal.

Mako gave him a look. “Not that. _Coach Lin_. She’s being surprisingly… chipper, lately. She didn’t give anyone extra laps to run.”

“She didn’t?” Opal gasped dramatically. “Should I put it in the paper?”

Asami burst out laughing, and Mako scowled.

“No, I’m just saying. She _always_ gives laps. Especially to the non-rugby players. But today she was… Smiling. It was freaky, honestly.”

“I think you should just be happy.” Bolin said, and Asami moved further into the booth so Mako could sit down.

He let out a sigh. “Probably.” He must have noticed Asami’s own stressed state, because he turned to her and asked, “Are you alright?”

“Fine.” She muttered. “Starting to think I’m not head girl material, is all.”

“And you think _Korra_ is?” Mako asked with a small smile. “No offence, Asami, but I thought you were smarter than that. You’re the better choice. It’s a no brainer.”

She smiled at her friend. “Thanks, Mako.”

Opal made a gagging noise. “Not the straights!” She yelled.

“I am not straight.” Asami said with a dead face. “And if we’re going by that logic, you literally have a boyfriend.”

“I hear what you’re saying, but I choose not to comprehend.” She said, before pulling out a notepad from literally nowhere. Just journalist things. “And anyway, we need to brainstorm for your fundraiser. Do you know what you want to do?”

“Uh… No?”

“Okay, well. Let’s not do a bake sale.” Opal said.

“Huh?” Bolin frowned. “But I love bake sales!”

“So do all dudes.” Opal pointed out, “And there’s eighteen of them in the head boy election that have to do their own bake sale, and pretty soon as well. A bake sale would just be dumb.”

“What about a tombola?” Mako asked.

“Hm. We need donations for that.” Opal said. “Plus, who the fuck likes a tombola. She has to earn _one thousand pounds_ , you know. Next suggestion.”

“Shit, seriously? You need a grand?” Mako turned to Asami. She merely nodded.

“And I want to do it this week.” She said. “Because otherwise, nobody will want to pay up.”

“I’m surprised anyone wants to pay you, anyway.” Bolin said. Everyone turned to him accusatorily. He lifted up his hands defensively and said, “I’m just saying!”

“Do we know anything about Korra’s fundraiser?” Mako asked. “Maybe hers will be terrible. She doesn’t look like much of a brainbox.”

“She’s smarter than she looks.” Asami said sharply. Her tone had far too much bite to be brushed off as normal, and she checked around the table to see if anyone had noticed. Opal was looking at her with a devilish smirk. “Plus,” She added, not looking at Opal, “She has Kuvira.”

“True.” Opal nodded. “Kuvira takes four a-levels. What kind of mad man takes _four_ a-levels? You can literally take three?”

“I take four a-levels.” The other three said, all at once.

Opal rolled her eyes. “That’s different. C’mon losers, keep up. Asami takes four because her dad makes her, Bolin is just cute and has lot’s of different interests.” She pinched Bolin’s cheek. “All of which are useless. My little jack-of-all-trades. And Mako _is_ a mad man. Duh. And a try hard. And a virgin. And a loser. And a—”

“Okay, we get it.” Mako grumbled.

“Kuvira is just straight up psychotic. Whenever she talks about psychology at the dinner table, I am _convinced_ she’s manipulating me to tell her to shut the fuck up. Like an evil genius. Like Hannibal Lector, or Clifford.”

“Clifford?” Asami asked.

“Clifford the Big Red dog.”

“Sorry, what?” Mako frowned. “You’ve lost me.”

“Are you trying to tell me that Clifford didn’t have evil in his black, soulless eyes.” Opal said. “Anyway, that’s unrelated.”

“Aw, I was quite interested in that.” Bolin pouted. Opal kissed the side of his head again.

“But yes. Kuvira. Very evil. In a sexy way, but very much evil. Anyway, we’ve gone off topic! I _do_ happen to know what Korra is doing for her fundraiser.”

“You do?” Asami asked. “How?”

“She told the paper. They’re publishing it in today’s issue. I bet the news has already circulated around campus.”

“I normally read it when I get home.” Mako said.

“Same.” Asami agreed.

“I just ask Opal for the highlights.” Bolin added.

“Okay, so what is it, then?” Asami demanded. “You’re really keeping us in suspense.”

“Oh, it’s a kissing booth.” Opal grinned. “And the entire rugby team has agreed to help.”

There was a moment of silence on the table.

“Ah.” Bolin voiced the thoughts of everyone. “Shit. That’s really good.”

Asami wasn’t _angry_ about the kissing booth, per say. All her and Korra had done was sleep together, and they both knew that. In fact, she was more than okay with that. Just because Korra was extremely attractive and good in bed, didn’t mean Asami was obliged to like her. It didn’t mean that at all! In fact, she was still quite bothered about Korra sending in that stupid text message to that ridiculous twitter account, sex aside.

(Even if it had come from a place of jealousy. Which was somewhat… Flattering. Still inexcusable! But flattering…)

Plus, Korra was a total bitch.

But that didn’t mean she wanted her to go kissing anyone else. To go kissing _multiple other people._ She was already competing with Korra for head girl, and she didn’t have time for distractions. If Korra kissed someone and _liked_ them and got a girlfriend… Well. It would be good PR for her, and therefore bad news for Asami. That’s how she decided to justify the way the thought twisted in her gut.

She strode angrily to the candidacy meeting. She didn’t have Korra’s number, so there was no way she could text and phone her after the… incident. So this was to be there first encounter.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.

Korra was already sat at the front. Today, her hair was down, hiding her undercut, and she was wearing a baggy black sweater with a white collar poking out the top. She looked pretty good, especially with the matching baggy jeans and chain around her neck. Of course, it didn’t show much of what was underneath, but that was probably for the best.

She sat down next to Korra. The girl didn’t look her way.

“Hey…?” She whispered.

Korra either didn’t hear her, or pretended not to. Asami furrowed her eyebrows.

“Uh, Korra?”

This time, Korra looked. She stared at Asami blankly.

“Hm?” She said.

“Uh, well… Are… We gonna talk?”

“Talk?” Her voice was monotonous and unfeeling. It made something at the back of Asami’s neck prickle.

“About Friday.”

“Friday?” Korra asked. She turned her attention back to the front. Tenzin was getting ready to start speaking. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Korra!” Asami hissed, but before she could say anything else, Tenzin had already began speaking.

“What an interesting first week it’s been!” He said warmly. “We’ve had three boys drop out already. I can’t say I’m surprised. The competition is particularly fierce for the men this year, considering the…”

Asami zoned out, thoughts completely taken up by Korra, and how she was just _pretending Friday didn’t happen_. Was that sensible? Should Asami do the same? She couldn’t pretend that it didn’t peeve her because it did. Usually, she was the one rejecting further advances from girls, and this was… This wasn’t like that, and she didn’t like it all.

Heat spiked at the back of her neck, and for a second, her vision seemed to fog. She blinked, twice, and hard, and the world returned, but it still felt hot and uncomfortable. The hairs on her arms stood on end, and suddenly, she couldn’t breathe in the same – like the air had become thicker.

Abruptly, she stood up.

“Asami, are you okay?” Tenzin asked. It was just him that week – no Kya and no Lin.

“Y-yes.” She didn’t sound very convincing. “I just need to… Step outside.”

“Ah, well take your time.” Tenzin smiled warmly at her, and for that, she was grateful.

The corridor was less stuffy, and Asami let herself slump against the wall. She could barely breathe – the air was cool against her skin. She was pretty sure that had been the start of an anxiety attack, but she couldn’t be sure. Maybe she was right, and this head girl business wasn’t for her. Everything in her head was growing more and more convoluted, and she could hardly fathom what to do and what not to do; what to say, and what not to say.

A small part of her had wanted Korra to come out and check on her. She didn’t. Asami decided that that small part of her needed to shut up.

She sent Tenzin an email apologising for her absence, before rushing away from the college and to her bus stop. She needed to get home, and to take a long, hot bath.

“Hey bitch.”

Asami grimaced. No long, hot bath for her then. Zhu Li smiled at her slightly younger best friend with glee, before her face faltered into one of concern. She took a step down from the top of the manor’s stone entrance stairway, so she was only one step above Asami and therefore the same height as her. Concerned eyes met Asami’s. She put a hand on the top of Asami’s hair.

It was an odd gesture, but it was one that they’d always done. Asami didn’t have many long lasting friendships – she’d never been good at selecting friends, not before Zaofu. But her relationship with Zhu Li was precious, and with it had come some precious mannerisms.

“What’s up?” She asked more gently.

Asami took a deep breath. “Promise you won’t tell anyone?”

“Who am I gonna tell?” Zhu Li grinned, taking the last step down and finally having to crane her neck to smile up at her friend.

“Varrick.”

“Ew.” Zhu Li rolled her eyes. “Like I’d ever. He’s no fun to gossip with. Even if I did, he’d tell me to buzz off. Oh, but it is kind of funny when he does that, so maybe I—”

“ _Zhu Li._ ” Asami warned.

“Relax.” Zhu Li giggled, grabbing Asami’s wrist and leading her up the stairs and into her home, as if it was Zhu Li’s to invite her into, and not the other way around. “I’m just messing. We don’t gossip. We do normal couple things, like binge crappy Netflix dramas and plan trips to Malaysia that we will never go on.” She paused, looking back at Asami. “Is it the head girl thing that’s getting you down? You can always drop out, you know.”

“I told my dad, so I can’t.” Asami groaned. That had been a mistake. At the time, she hadn’t thought she’d want to drop out. At that point, she was thinking otherwise. “No dropping out for me. I’m in this till I lose, and have to face eternal embarrassment when I do.”

“So, you _do_ want to drop out? Geez, what did Korra do to you?” Zhu Li flicked Asami’s nose, “And stop being so dramatic.”

Asami blushed at the question. Her silence caught Zhu Li’s attention, and the older girl peered ay her more closely. Her eyebrows raised when she saw Asami’s face, the pinkness of it, and she pulled the girl a bit quicker until they were safely in Asami’s room and she’d slammed the door behind them.

“What’s that face for?” She demanded. The excitement in her tone was obvious.

“Korra and I… We…” Asami pressed her face into her hands, and Zhu Li grabbed her by the wrists and pulled at them so she could see Asami’s face once more. “We fucked, Zhu Li. Slept together. _Banged,_ if you will _._ ”

Zhu Li’s smile dropped for a moment, shock blossoming on her features, before her lips upturned into a tremendous, devious smile. Excitement lit up her face like a child in a candy store.

“You _what?”_ She cried. “You did what!”

“You heard me.” Asami mumbled.

“Oh. Oh my _god._ Oh my god!”

“This is not a good thing, Zhu Li!”

“You’re right.” Zhu Li laughed, throwing her head back in sheer delight. “It’s amazing. I doubt Zaofu college has ever had a head girl _sex_ scandal. Maybe between the head girl and head boy, further into the year, but during the race? When there’s only two head girl candidates, and you’re battling it out for the position? This is… _Monumental._ ”

“This is not monumental, this is totally and utterly stupid.” Asami groaned, making her way over to her bed and faceplanting onto the covers.

“Was it bad sex?”

Asami rolled over, staring at the ceiling. “No.” She sighed. “No, it was pretty good.”

“Ah-Ha!” Zhu Li cried out. “Then blackmail her.”

Asami sat up and sighed. “She’s denying it ever happened.”

“Damn, she’s good.” Zhu Li muttered, like it was some kind of spy film from the 80s. Asami rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time. It was like she’d created her own personal hell.

“I almost had a panic attack today, in the meeting.” Asami confessed.

Zhu Li’s look of amusement quickly passed into one of concern. She sat next to Asami on the bed, and put a reassuring hand on her forearm. “Then drop out. It’s not worth your mental health. Nothing is, really.”

“But my dad.”

“Who cares?” Zhu Li waved her off. “Life is about more than just pleasing your parents. Especially _your_ dad _,_ Jesus Christ.”

“He will care.” Asami frowned. “And I can’t deal with disappointing him. Ever since my mum… Well, you know the story.”

“I do.” Zhu Li nodded. “By the bye, you don’t happen to have a fundraiser prepared, do you?”

“Nope. Not even any ideas for one.” Asami didn’t want to think about that. She knew, logically, that she needed to do one quickly, but her brain just hadn’t come up with any ideas.

“Oh, good. I was worried you were organised for once.”

Asami lifted an eyebrow, but Zhu Li only laughed.

“When it comes to the fundraiser, the better ones are the ones that only _that_ individual could pull off. You have to do one that people will associate with you. They always get you more votes in the end. As far as the money is concerned, I wouldn’t worry. The college is busy, and people usually pay around five quid. They get sucked into it.” Zhu Li shrugged. “But as your best friend, ex-head girl, and biggest supporter of your campaign, it would only be fair that I helped you out.”

“Helped me out…?” Asami asked cautiously.

“By planning the whole thing of course.” She pointed at Asami dramatically. “What are your interests?”

“My interests?”

“What do you like to do, stupid?”

“Oh, uh…” She thought for a second. “Art?”

“Art! Exactly! Bingo!” Zhu Li beamed. “Damn, I’m glad you said that. Or else this would have been way off the mark. And awkward.”

“What have you planned?” Asami asked.

“An art show. Or… An art selling show? What is that called? Oh, whatever.” Zhu Li said. Asami’s eyes lit up. “And basically everyone in your art class has agreed to put forward a few pieces. Obviously they can’t put any exam pieces up, but lots of people have a few side projects that they wouldn’t mind selling to people and making a few bucks. Plus, a lot of them support you. Here.”

She threw her phone towards Asami, and the taller girl picked it up. There was a text notification on the home page.

**Sam:** I really respect Asami for running. She’s exactly the kind of person who should be head girl. Even when she was busy last year with coursework, she’d always help me and others with our projects too. She’s nice, and I know people think Korra is nice, but as far as I can tell, she’s only nice to popular people. Asami is nice to everyone.

  
“Oh…” Asami mumbled. Sam was in her art class. She was a plain-looking girl with bright, red curly hair, but she had some funny stories and Asami always liked sitting next to her.

“So.” Zhu Li said, wearing a stupidly big grin. “Maybe you _should_ be head girl.”

“Maybe…” Asami mumbled.

“You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Wow, Asami.” Bolin was counting up the fivers in one hand, and the tenners in the other. “It looks like you made enough. And we only started an hour ago!”

They were sat outside, the art show stroke selling well underway. Around them, people were carrying large canvases, and artists were talking to patrons about their work. It was the kind of atmosphere that Asami felt most at home in, and she was infinitely grateful to Zhu Li.

“Well, paintings were bound to be a good idea, especially with the adults.” Mako nodded solemnly. Asami giggled, eyeing the pile of money. “Plus, you know all the art kids will love this. It’s a niche group that Korra and Kuvira’s campaign hasn’t targeted at all.”

“Man.” Bolin yawned, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back. “Is the election race usually this serious?”

“Depends on the candidate.” Opal had got back. She was holding a wad of notes. “Just sold that big one, by the way.”

“Damn, that’s good.” Asami peered over her shoulder to see who had bought it. Lin and Kya were looking at each other angrily, each holding onto one side of the painting. “Huh?”

“They’re splitting custody.” Opal snickered, following Asami’s gaze. “Anyone would think they were in love.”

“What’s the picture of?” She asked, frowning more deeply. Whatever the hell was going on with the coach and her art teacher… Asami wasn’t sure if she wanted to know. Well, any more than she already knew, that is.

“A tiger seal.” Bolin giggled. “I didn’t know they liked tiger seals so much.”

“Chances are they don’t.” Mako sighed. He was always so serious. “If I had to guess, they probably just decided that they didn’t want the other to get it. They both have stubborn, competitive natures.”

“I’m not even going to ask how you know that.” Opal sighed, yawning like her boyfriend had earlier.

“Asami!” Someone called frantically.

Asami turned around, following the voice. It belonged to one of her classmates, Jordan. He wasn’t that great at art (if Asami was being really critical about it) but he probably put more hours into his work than Asami did.

“Hey, Jordan. What’s up?” She hoped it wasn’t that nobody was buying his art. That would be awkward. Unless she could buy it? But what if it was really ugly?

“The paintings!” He cried. “Somebody… Somebody ruined them!”

“Huh?” She stood up at once. “What do you mean? Take me to where you saw this.”

“O-Okay!”

In the shed, where they were keeping all the paintings that weren’t on display, Asami let out a small gasp. It was terrible. Truly one of the worst things she’d ever seen done. Blue paint was smeared over every surface of the room, not just the paintings that were yet to be sold. The floors, the walls, even the ceiling – everything was covered.

“It must have been a huge paint bomb.” Jordan stammered.

There was one patch of wall that didn’t have any paint on it at all. It was shaped peculiarly like a person.

“Damn her.” Asami hissed.

“Her?” Jordan asked. “You know who did this? My painting took hours!”

Guilt swept through Asami. “I’m sorry Jordan. I had no idea that this would happen. Please pass my apologies on to everyone else… I’ll make it up to them somehow. Pay for all the paintings myself. Help them in the studio, whatever it takes.”

“But do you know who did this?” He repeated, more angrily.

“I have an idea.” She said. The blue paint could hardly be a coincidence.

Jordan left to go find the others, but Asami couldn’t move. She was angry. So angry. How dare Korra do this? Did she not understand how important an artist’s artwork was to them? Did she not understand how this could tear one of these student’s apart? It would have been better to lock the shed and melt down the key, to keep the artwork safe and unsellable. There was always an alternate, especially to this meaningless vandalism.

Another voice awoke her from her thoughts.

“Asami. What is all this?”

_No._

“Father?” She asked, turning around in horror. “Oh.. I…”

“What happened here?” His voice was angry, unbiddenly so. She sighed, scratching the back of her arm. His golden eyes were both demeaning and penetrating. She couldn’t look at him – or them – for too long at all, without her bottom lip beginning to shake.

“There’s been some vandalism.” She said quietly.

“Why would you let this happen?” He demanded, taking a step towards her. “This is _embarrassing,_ you hear me? I came here to buy a painting, and you’ve let your products be ruined. Is this what will happen with your shares of the business?”

“Those are hardly the same thing!” Asami gasped, but Hiroshi didn’t want any of it. She should have expected he’d come to this – Zhu Li hadn’t shut up about it the night before, at dinner. But now that he was actually here… A cold sweat prickled her neck.

“I don’t have time for you talking back. Don’t let your pursuit of being head girl compromise who you are. You are a business woman, you hear? Be ruthless. Cut down your opposition. If you don’t win this… I need you to win this now, you understand?”

“You…?” Asami didn’t understand at all.

“Now I can see what merits you really have. Also, give me your math teacher’s email later. I want to talk to his about the curriculum.” And with that, he beckoned his daughter to follow him as he strode from the shed full of ruined art. Curse his timing.

Asami gulped. “Will do.”

Luckily, he forgot to ask her for it that night. The only thing that spiked her anxiety that evening was a text she hadn’t been expecting. It was from Opal, and it’s contents were more soothing than stressful.

 **Opal:** yo! I’m mad pissed

 **Opal:** the paper isn’t gonna stay quiet about this

 **Opal:** I can’t believe Korra would do that to the art

 **Opal:** you can count on me sami

 **Opal:** u will win this election if it’s the last thing that u do

 **Asami:** hopefully it won’t be the last thing I do lol

 **Asami:** but thank you opal

 **Asami:** really

Asami went to sleep counting her lucky stars.

What she didn’t see, however, when Hiroshi was yelling at her, was the figure stood behind the shed. Head pressed against the wall, they withdrew their blue phone from their pocket and typed out a text message, before running off.

**Wednesday**

Asami thought, briefly, her palms pressed against the locker room door, that this might not be the greatest idea she’d ever had. Then again, she had a lot of great ideas, and expecting every single new one to be the greatest was just downright unreasonable.

She opened the door. The first thing that hit her was a lot of naked men – or, rather, one she’d taken a second look, shirtless men. Thank the lord. The last thing she wanted to see was a penis, whether she was bisexual or not. The room was steamed up – which was odd, since she thought that people mainly showered after they worked out, but maybe there had been someone in the changing room before the rugby team.

Asami had also thought it odd that there wasn’t a separate changing space for Kuvira and Korra, but apparently, the two girls were so integrated into the team that they didn’t need one – or at least, according to Mako. Bolin had said something about blood of the coven, and Opal made a weird joke about her uterus, and twenty minutes later, Asami had found herself standing in the changing room, fifteen minutes before the match was due to be played.

It was the semi-finals, so it was a pretty big deal. If the college rugby team won, then they would play against the other finalist next week, and if they won that, they’d be the best team in Northern England. Most of the players were bound to be scouted, and that included Korra.

But frankly, whether or not she was in the running to be head girl, Asami couldn’t give a flying fuck about the sports department. Not when she had art students to avenge.

She stormed through the changing room, looking for a scrap of brown skin that she could identify as Korra’s. It only took her thirty seconds (thankfully). Some people hooted at her, but she ignored them outright; if there was one thing she didn’t care about, it was horny teenagers.

Kuvira and Korra were in one corner, talking between themselves. They looked to be having a serious conversation – and Kuvira was denying something profusely.

But, yet again, Asami couldn’t care less.

“You _bitch!_ ” She announced.

Korra looked up at her with wide, (tempting), blue eyes.

“Asami?” She spluttered.

“Ah, great.” Kuvira groaned, leaning back on her heels against the wall of the changing room. She was showcasing a set of disgustingly defined abs underneath a black sports bra, and briefly, Asami considered whether or not she would ever sleep with Opal’s adopted sister. She decided that she would not.

“How could you!” And Asami’s voice sounded far weaker than she would have liked – damn it.

“How could I what?” Korra asked, openly confused. Then, realisation hit her. “You think it was me.”

“It was you!” Asami insisted.

“No.” Korra shook her head dismissively. “It wasn’t.”

“I don’t know if you noticed, Korra, but we’re the only two in the running for this election.” She snapped, taking a step closer, properly intruding Korra’s personal space. Korra was wearing her jersey, and those tantalising shorts, but Asami made sure she kept her eyes pressed against the blue ones in front of her.

An eyebrow rose.

“I did notice, believe it or not. I’m not completely stupid.”

“I didn’t say you were.” Asami snapped back. “You’re just conniving, and irritating, and a bitch, and—”

Korra had whipped around so fast that Asami almost jumped out of her skin. A hand grabbed her wrist – with a surprisingly gentle force – and pushed it back against the lockers. Korra’s body followed, and soon Korra had Asami pinned. Despite her height difference, Korra was looking up at Asami with such animosity that she may as well have been seven feet tall.

“And _what?_ ” She growled.

Asami almost choked.

“Jesus, Korra, give it a rest.” Kuvira muttered from somewhere behind the two of them. Other guys in the changing room were definitely looking – everything had gone completely quiet. Or, maybe, Asami was just entirely absorbed in what was happening in front of her, in the smell and feel of being held down by Korra again, and she couldn’t hear them.

A rush of blood went to her cheeks. She had maybe overestimated her ability to get over this rugby player. She was starting to think that getting under her had been a terrible idea.

Korra let go of Asami. “Sorry.” She muttered. Her cheeks were darker as well. “But it really wasn’t me. You should go before the coach catches you in here, we’re due to go on in a bit.”

In the end, they won the game. Asami felt a confusing mix of pride and annoyance at the news. Part of her had been hoping that Korra would lose, that the girl would feel even a fraction of the humiliation that Asami had felt in the changing room. But she hadn’t, and she was fine with that.

**Friday**

**_Is it wrong to kiss your adopted sister?_ **

**Mako:** Yes.

 **Opal:** noted.

 **Bolin:** omg yeah!!! The kissing booth!!!!

 **Mako:** Bolin watched the movie last night to prepare.

 **Opal:** uh ?

 **Opal:** babe ?

 **Opal:** who do u want to kiss

 **Bolin:** ohhhhhh uhhhhhhhh

 **Bolin:** hm

 **Opal:** I have a bad feeling about this

 **Bolin:** is coach lin going to be there

 **Bolin:** …

 **Bolin:** why is nobody typing

 **Bolin:** guys don’t be mad

 **Mako:** What the fuck.

 **Opal:** I second that???? What the????

 **Opal:** sweet fuck???????

 **Opal:** babe??????

 **Bolin:** joking! Aha

 **Asami:** …what did I just open my phone to?

 **Opal:** possibly the last convo I will ever have with my bf

 **Bolin:** babe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 **Mako:** Opal, he is actually crying.

 **Opal:** aw, bb, I’m just kidding

 **Bolin:** r-really???

 **Asami:** did he just stutter in text

 **Opal:** yes, really

 **Opal:** if u want to kiss my aunt, it’s okay

 **Opal:** she has amazing genetics after all

 **Mako:** For some reason, I saw that coming.

 **Asami:** we all did

 **Asami:** anyway, where are we meeting

 **Mako:** It takes place in the hall, so I was thinking we should just meet there.

 **Bolin:** the green benches!!!!!

 **Opal:** definitely the green benches.

 **Asami:** see u at the green benches then

 **Mako:** …

 **Mako:** Why do I even bother?

“Okay, but back to the kissing my sister thing—”

“Opal, please.” Asami sighed, finally catching up to her friends. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“If you don’t want to go, why bother?” Mako asked, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his soccer shorts. His legs were hairless, for some reason. Asami stared at them in muted terror.

“Oh—” She looked back up, meeting Mako’s eyes and smiling at him awkwardly. “Well, it would be bad sportsmanship to not show up. This is my rival’s fundraiser, after all.”

“Does it count as sportsmanship if it’s running in an election?” Opal asked. She linked her arm with Bolin’s and the group walked away from the green benches and in the direction of the main building, where the main hall was located.

Once they got inside, they saw the kissing booth – or rather, _booths._ The rugby team was lined up behind a handful of red and blue stalls, each with the players’ names plastered on the signpost up top, indicating who was working each kissing booth. There was already a significant queue at half of the booths, whilst the others were less busy. Still, one thousand pounds was definitely something they’d attain. Asami wasn’t sure whether she should be impressed or disappointed.

“Which one is Korra at?” Asami asked immediately. She imagined that Korra, who would no doubt be next to Kuvira, as the two often were, would have a fairly business-free booth. There just wasn’t a good market for her – the people that came to kiss the rugby team, would no doubt be heterosexual female fangirls. Or, in Wu Prince’s case, homosexual male fanboy’s.

“That one.” Opal pointed. The booth she’d indicated was by far the busiest.

“Don’t be silly, Opal, I—” But Asami snapped her mouth shut, when saw just who were lined up at the booth.

“These bitches are gay. Good for them.” Bolin said, dragging his girlfriend and his brother closer to the crowd of very obviously queer women. Asami followed behind, reluctantly. The women that were stood at the booth wore doc martens, and had dyed hair, and short, trimmed nails, and Asami was in complete and utter shock.

“I didn’t know there were so many gay women at this college.” She said to Mako.

“Don’t you just hang out with the art kids? And us?” He shrugged. “How would you have known?”

“C’mon, Asami, don’t look so surprised.” Opal laughed. “There’s three thousand people at this college. Basic maths would mean that there’s at least one hundred and fifty queer women.”

“Basic… Maths?” Asami wasn’t sure if she was surprised that Opal knew what maths was, or that she’d never done the maths herself.

Her surprise, however, faded away, when she watched a particularly pretty blonde, hand Korra a five pound note, before leaning in and locking her lips with the rugby player. Asami’s jaw tightened. This wasn’t something she wanted to watch.

“And they’re all, what, in love with Korra?” She asked, and she sounded far more bitter than she meant to.

“Jealous?” Opal teased. “Weren’t you in love with Korra till like, two weeks ago?”

“No.” Asami groaned. “Don’t say things like that, or else it will end up in next week’s paper.”

“Uh, sis, I write the paper.” Opal snickered.

“Well, then it will end up on twitter! You know what I mean, just shut up.”

“Embarrassed?” Opal grinned.

“And what would the royal Miss Sato have to be embarrassed about?” Korra asked. The queue wasn’t as long as it had initially looked – it split off into three smaller queues, one for Kuvira, and another for Jet, who was stood between the two of them.

Jet was one of the better players, alongside Tahno. Of course, they were nothing compared to Korra (and Kuvira, if Asami had to admit it), but they were both really good, and sure picks to be scouted this season. Asami may or may not have done some research on the rugby team, for purely head girl-related purposes.

But, besides all that, the group of friends had found themselves closer to the front of the queues than they would have liked. There were still a few girls in between them and the booths, but they were in communication-distance, easily. Asami hoped Korra hadn’t been eavesdropping.

“Oh, nothing.” Opal said snootily, immediately adopting a different persona when she noticed they were talking to Korra. The girl hadn’t been lying when she said she’d help take her down. Asami was glad. She wondered how supportive Opal would be if she found out exactly who Asami had had in her bed.

“Huh, sure.” Korra grinned, before taking the fiver from a girl in front of her, and leaning into to press a particularly daring kiss onto her lips. The heat of it made a few girls behind her swoon. The girl in question went the colour of a strawberry bonbon, before thanking Korra and skipping away, seemingly with a damn spring in her step. She might have been wearing lipstick, or at least one of the rugby player’s customers must have been, because Korra’s lips were now smudged with rouge.

Asami had an involuntary flashback to when Korra was writhing underneath her, her face and neck and abs painted the colour of Asami’s lips. She looked away, abruptly.

“Oh, hell no.” Kuvira said sharply. “What the fuck—I’m a lesbian, Bolin.”

“Aw, what!” He complained. “Come on! I’ll pay double.”

Kuvira unfolded her arms. “Quadruple.”

“You want twenty pounds for a _peck?_ ” The drama boy demanded. Opal was balling her eyes out with laughter behind the two of them – apparently, Opal was going to kiss her sister through her boyfriend. Their relationship was odd, but… It was very them. Asami found herself smiling at the exchange as well.

She was about to make a comment to Mako, but noticed that the boy had gone.

“You’re up, Asami.” It was Korra, smiling at her like a crow.

Asami, who had admittedly been holding a five pound note, shook her head.

“I don’t think so.” She half-smiled. “I think I’ll kiss Jet, instead.”

It would be extremely problematic for her campaign if she was caught kissing the enemy, even if it was to be a good sportsman and support their fundraiser. Although, part of her definitely wanted to kiss Korra, another part of her desperately didn’t – the idea of those brown lips against her red ones was both tempting, and deadly, in the same way an addict shouldn’t risk their vice.

“Ah, hell yeah!” Jet grinned, sliding over to Asami. “Keep your money, princess, and pucker up.”

“Jet, don’t be weird.” Asami heard Korra faintly say, but she’d already leant in and locked lips with him. He tasted… Stubbly. He should have shaved. She pulled back and smiled weakly, putting the fiver on the booth in front of her.

“So good that you just had to pay?” He grinned.

“I have cash to spare.” She shrugged, and almost laughed at the way Korra rolled her eyes. Really, the rugby player was too predictable.

**Saturday**

“I can’t believe Asami is coming with us this week.” Bolin said. As usual, he was holding hands with Opal, the two sharing (very open) secret looks with one another. Mako was walking slightly ahead of the group, talking to Wu Prince. Asami knew the two were friends – partners in a science project, or something similar – but she was surprised that the football player had invited the smaller boy to come clubbing with them. Usually, it seemed like he’d rather there be less people, not more.

“I told you I’d come if I didn’t have work.”

 _Plus, I’m avoiding my father,_ She thought.

“That you did!” Opal sang. She was holding a can of dark fruits, but Asami had no idea where she got it from. Probably the fridge in her garage at home. It might even have been left over from the party at her house the previous Friday.

“Damn, this building is so cool.” Bolin praised. He was already a little drunk, it seemed.

And the building was cool, Asami had to admit. She didn’t care much for flashy fountains or neon lights, not when it came to architecture, but she liked the look of Republic City’s clubs. There were a few of them, all down the same busy main street, and they looked like they could be from Las Vegas, not just a random town in the north of England.

The one that the Zaofu students frequented was called ‘Blue Lights’, and it was named very appropriately. Blue lights of all shades – everything from powder- to navy-blue was showcased in bright, beaming fluorescence.

“It’s almost an eyesore.” She laughed, following Mako and Wu inside. She was wearing a short black dress, by orders of Opal. Opal’s was emerald green, and flattered her mightily well, and the boys were all wearing clean shirts and pants, Bolin’s unbuttoned by far too many buttons (five). The heels she was wearing were starting to rub the back of her ankles.

“Emphasis on almost!” Opal grinned, “Now go get us our drinks!”

“I’m not even drinking.”

“They do orange mocktails!”

“…Fine.” Asami couldn’t deny her love for orange juice, nor could she deny it for mocktails.

Once she put her order in at the bar, it wasn’t long before someone was hounding her. She’s expected it – there was a reason she didn’t like the club. Arguably, it was worse than parties, because at least parties were in a confined space, mostly full of people that she knew.

The boy that was talking to her, however, she did know.

“Jet?” She said, with an awkward smile. “Surprised you’re here. Don’t the rugby team normally party on Fridays?”

“Korra’s place crashed and burned.” He grinned.

“It what?” She gasped, almost falling over she stood up straight so quickly. 

“Relax.” Jet laughed. “Not literally. Her parents were home, so our _party we’d planned_ crashed and burned. I’ll be more specific next time. Didn’t know you were so fucking jumpy.”

“Right.” Asami slumped back down. Where was the bartender, and why was he taking so long?

“Anyway, can I buy you a drink? I can’t stop thinking about our kiss yesterday.” The line was delivered so smoothly she was sure he’d practised it.

“Can’t you?” Asami asked passively. She was staring daggers at the bartender, begging him, _baiting him_ to bring her drinks over. He wasn’t biting. “And I’ve already ordered my drink, so.”

“Well, how about I get you the next? Do you like it strong? I’m a vodka man, myself. I bet you’re into that fruity shit.”

“Right.” She nodded, blankly.

Jet seemed to read the room wrong – or, perhaps he did it purposefully. “Playing hard to get?”

“Not at all.” She forced a smile, remembering that she was in a competition that required people voting for her. The last thing she needed was Jet telling everyone that she was a prude. Or, maybe that would contradict the current rumours circulating about her, and she would reach total neutrality. Well, actually, what would probably happen would be all the girls would shame her for being a ‘slut’ and all the boys would shame her for being a ‘prude’, and she’d lose the election by a landslide.

“Good.” He grinned. “Shall we—”

“Jet!”

Asami froze. She knew that voice. _Fuck._ She’d assumed that if Korra’s parents were home, that meant that Korra would… Also be at home. Clearly she had been wrong.

Korra approached the two of them, not deigning to look at Asami, despite the fact that they slept together eight days previously. Asami felt used. The bartender handed her the drinks she ordered and she smiled at him politely, though she was silently cursing him for not making them thirty seconds quicker.

“What are you doing?” The girl asked him harshly. She was wearing a dress herself – like Asami’s, it was black, and seemed to be made of bunch silk, hugging the curve of her hips deliciously.

“Nothing. Why are you yelling?”

“Go find Tahno or something.” She said to him. “You’re done talking to her.”

Jet’s eyes met Asami’s, and he put his hands up slowly. “I get it. No fraternising with the enemy.”

“That’s what coach Lin said.” Korra said reproachfully.

Jet got up, and walked away – but not before he’d winked at Asami, which earnt him a near-growl from Korra. She waited till he left before turning around, and smiling awkwardly at Asami.

“Sorry about that. I guess he was making you uncomfortable?”

Korra truly was an enigma. One second she ignored her, the next she was angry at her, and lastly she was kind towards her. Asami didn’t know how to feel, or what to think.

“Why are you so weird?” She asked sternly, and Korra’s expression fell.

“Right then.” She said, and turned on her heels.

Asami got up, hurrying after her. “Wait, Korra, no—”

Korra led the two of them into the club bathroom, which was right next to the bar. Despite the accessibility, it was barren. The night was young, after all. No doubt there would be girls crying in there in less than an hour.

“Why did you follow me?” Korra asked. “Just leave me alone!”

“Not until you stop being weird!”

“How am I being weird?” Korra folded her arms. She was almost pouting, and it would have been adorable if it wasn’t completely infuriating.

“Because we _slept together,_ and you think you can just ignore it!” Asami cried. “Because you pick and choose how to act around me. It’s not fair! We’ve crossed a line now, one we shouldn’t have crossed, but we have to deal with it like actual adults. And not like whatever this is!”

“And what is this?” Korra asked – almost spat.

“Well, what do you think it is?” Asami asked back, with equal bite. Her and Korra were so close they could kiss.

“I don’t know, Miss genius. Why don’t you tell me?”

“You’re being stupid!” Asami said angrily. “Don’t you think you’re being stupid? Do you seriously think that you can just yell at me and expect me to—”

“Seriously,” Korra snapped, interrupting her, “Do you ever shut up?”

Asami couldn’t help it anymore. She lunged forward, grabbing Korra’s face and pushing the girl against the wall of the bathroom. Before she kissed her, she took her time memorising the details of Korra – the exact blue of her startled eyes, the shape of her open, wanton lips, the way her cheeks blushed over with a vibrant burgundy. Then, she leant down and kissed her.

Korra groaned into the kiss, opening her mouth and letting Asami deepen it. Korra tasted divine, but she also tasted of orange juice, and it made Asami laugh that the two – both of whom didn’t drink alcohol – used the same mocktail to enjoy their evenings.

“Get in the stall.” She ordered roughly.

“Asami…” Korra breathed, her eyes dilating with desire.

“Don’t you want to?” Asami grinned. The answer was fairly obvious, from the way Korra’s hands were gripping at her back.

Korra shook her head, practically scampering into the stall. Asami followed behind, allowing her hips to swing a little, and delighting in the way that Korra’s hungry eyes glowered at them.

Hands found their way to Asami’s hips and waist and thighs, as soon as she entered the stall. Hungry lips connected again, and Asami fisted her hand in Korra’s short hair, delighting in the soft moans the rugby player was making. Korra was equal parts tough as she was gentle, and Asami wanted all of it. All of it under her, against her, wrapped around her middle and fore finger.

“This is a bad idea.” Korra whispered.

“Oh, I know.” Asami smiled, spinning Korra around and pinning her front against the side of the stall. Her hand found the hem of Korra’s dress, and pulled it up, delighting in the way that Korra pushed back against her touch. “Eager.” She teased, and Korra groaned again.

“Hurry up… Make it quick... We might get caught.” She panted.

Korra was wearing a navy thong, that appeared to be made of silk. Asami’s fingers traced the lines and stitches of it, almost losing herself in the moment. Then, with one swell realisation of actuality, yanked them down so they were rested at Korra’s knees. The sight in front of her was… Tempting. She smiled to herself, her fingers sinking in to what they’d been unknowingly seeking for over a week.

It was both familiar and new, and Asami couldn’t help but enjoy herself greatly. Sleeping with girls tended to be enjoyable, but there was something so carnal about her dynamic with Korra that… Well, it fed a monster that usually lay sleeping in the pit of her stomach, and now that it was awake, nothing could stop it.

They managed to stay quiet, Korra’s moans less so than Asami’s, but still hardly audible, until the door creaked open. For a second, every nerve in her body screamed at her to take a step back, to separate from Korra, but the fear of hurting the shorter girl overcame her, so she kept her fingers in place.

Korra looked back, eyes wide with terror.

“So, what, you’re in love with him now?”

Asami recognised that voice, but between the mess her brain was in, the situation she found herself in, and the booming music playing faintly in the back of her head, she couldn’t pinpoint who it was. Korra’s face, however, shrunk into itself, and that was when Asami knew that it must be Kuvira.

“I’ve always been in love with my boyfriend.” Opal snapped back – but of course it was Opal, Asami didn’t need to see Korra’s face to know the sound of her best friend’s voice.

“Then why are you always thinking about me?” Kuvira said teasingly.

“That’s mostly a joke.” Opal had a signature huff that she saved just for her step sister. Both Asami and Korra made eye-contact. Playfully, Asami sunk her fingers a little further into Korra, and watched as the girl’s eyes dilated with pleasure, one hand moving to grip Asami’s wrist. She didn’t hold it tightly – it was less of a preventative measure, and more of a contemplative one. Asami wondered which choice Korra would choose.

Slowly, Korra pulled Asami’s hand further inside her. Asami was overcome with the want to praise Korra, a want that she pushed down fast. If they were going to continue, they had to be silent. She could call Korra _her good girl_ another night.

“Emphasis on _mostly._ ” Kuvira always sounded so cocky. Asami had no idea why Korra was her friend. Despite what everyone said, aside from the toned physique, the two were nothing at all alike.

There was the sound of grappling hands, like Kuvira had gone to grab Opal. Asami winced. She wanted to help her friend, but she was a little preoccupied – and, after all, she knew Opal could handle herself.

“Get _off!_ ” Opal yelled. “God, you’re ridiculous.”

The sound of footsteps followed by the bathroom door slammed shut rang through the marble bathroom, and still, Asami didn’t go any faster with Korra, knowing that Kuvira was still in the room. After a minute, the girl yawned, and the door opened, paused for a significantly long second – so long, in fact, that the fear that they’d been caught managed to seep into Asami’s chest – before it was shut once again.

“Okay, no holding back now, so just—” Asami didn’t let Korra finish that thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no, this fic did not die. am i slightly embarrassed that i said i'd finish this in 2020 and then failed spectacularly? yes,,,, we can leave it at that lol
> 
> unsure about updates 4 this as of current. rn i just write it whenever i feel like it (hopefully more now I've relieved some of my writer's block this story was giving me!) so i can't promise any sort of regular updates (a promise i so often break anyway), but just know,,, i do plan on finishing this! my time and energy! i will expend! on this! till it is complete !


End file.
